Rovers boss insists officials cost his side valuable points

Apr 9 2008 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

TRANMERE boss Ronnie Moore blamed referee Carl Boyeson and his match assistants for his side’s 2-1 defeat at Walsall, which significantly lengthened the odds on his side making the play-offs in League One.

Moore believes the Yorkshire official made a match-turning decision in awarding a penalty and sending off defender Ben Chorley for a 39th minute tackle on Walsall striker Kevin Betsy.

Goalkeeper Danny Coyne saved the resulting spot-kick but Rovers, reduced to 10 men, were unable to protect a 1-0 advantage from Jennison Myrie-Williams’ early header and lost the game to goals by a Alassene N’Dour on 45 minutes and substitute Ishmael Demontagnac on 59.

Moore said: “The whole story for me was the decision on the penalty and sending off.

“It was a massive decision to make and I don’t think, if you ask the Walsall coaching staff, that they thought it was a penalty. Then to send him (Chorley) off as well.

“I don’t think it was a penalty although I will hold my hands up if I am proved wrong on the replay.”

Moore was also critical of other decisions that went against Tranmere, including a penalty claim when Ian Goodison was brought down in the second half.

He added : “It is hard to come here and play 11 versus 11, never mind 12 versus 10.”

Moore revealed that the club would stop short of lodging an official appeal against Chorley’s dismissal – although he believes he has the word of Mr Boyeson to look at the Chorley incident again.

Moore said: “We have asked the referee to look at it again and he says he will do so.

“I feel frustrated but you can’t do anything. Danny Coyne made a great save from the penalty but we had a little panic after that and conceded a silly goal that deflected in off Shane Sherriff’s toe.

“The second goal was down to bad defending, nothing to do with us having 10 men. We huffed and puffed to get back into it after that without creating too many chances.”

Moore insisted all is not lost in the race for the play-offs after Tranmere dropped to seventh place, two points behind Leeds, who also have a game in hand.

Moore said: “We can’t go around moping about this. If we take 12 points from our four remaining games, I think we will be in the play-offs.”

“We’ve told the players to get their heads up the think about the game against Forest next weekend.”