I can't believe it's a
penalty
by Rumbling Pete Bogg
Flicking through various match reports on our home win v
Chesterfield, you can't help but feel that Chesterfield were hard done by and Burnley were
lucky to gain all three points. I disagree.
Okay, it's true it was a crappy game, it's beyond all
reason that our best player was relegated to the bench and a number of other players
continue their poor form on the pitch. But we were better than them.
Chesterfield were woeful. The game was ours for the taking
- sadly we didn't grasp the opportunity. We were worth the three points we won.
Arguments abound about the rights and wrongs of the penalty
decisions given. I was sat high up in the Harry Potts Longside directly in line with the
penalty area where both incidents occurred.
Our penalty was clear: a Chesterfield defender clearly
handled the ball in the box. Their protestations were bizarre to say the least. Other
defenders must have seen the offence and had no right to question one of the ref's few
good decisions in the game.
Chesterfield's penalty was less clear. Although I would say
I was well placed to judge, there didn't appear to be any problem as the ball ran freely
across the front of goal. No-one appealed for a penalty. None of our defenders appeared
concerned about challenging any of their attackers. The referee saw what he (apparently)
later described as shirt tugging. He could've fooled me. He also fooled Messrs Cowan
(Burnley) and Holland (Chesterfield), who it is reported couldn't believe a penalty had
been given.
Finally, if there was indeed a shirt tugging offence
committed, how come the referee missed dozens of other instances of this offence al over
the field and in both penalty areas? How come he allowed players to get away with tackles
from behind, elbowing, ankle tapping etc, but booked Mellon for arguing the penalty
decision, which had probably only been marginal (Mellon's only useful contribution of the
day)?
Still we won. We took all three points. We stretched our
unbeaten run in the league to thirteen. So at the end of the day who cares?
Chesterfield match
report
