Moore does not blame ref

May 7 2008 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

RONNIE MOORE described referee Gavin Ward as being “over-zealous” in dismissing Ian Goodison for a second bookable offence at the Sixfields Stadium.

But the Tranmere boss did not blame the official for 2-1 defeat to Northampton that saw his team drop to 11th place in the final League One table.

Moore said: “I thought the referee looked miles out of his depth but that’s not to deflect from our performance. That performance probably showed why we are not in the play-offs this season.

“The away form has cost us dear and so has lack of discipline. Both of them were evident today.”

Tranmere’s 11th defeat of the league campaign became inevitable once Goodison had become the seventh player to be dismissed this season with the team already trailing 2-1 in the 79th minute.

Goodison’s first offence, early in the second half, appeared to be for holding on to the ball after a free-kick had been awarded to the opposition.

The second occurred when Goodison, attempting to shepherd the ball out of play, tangled with Northampton midfielder Ryan Gilligan.

Moore added: “Goodison was trying to stop the lad (Gilligan) from keeping the ball in play and the lad whacked him from behind.

“The linesman got involved but I think it just needed a bit of common sense with the referee having a word with them. I think he was an over-zealous official.

“You’ve got to be superhuman to win games with 10 men these days and it happened to us too often this season.”

The dismissal meant Goodison will start the next campaign with the one match suspension.

Moore was once again left to rue Rovers’ failure to convert possession and pressure into chances and goals, and admitted the final ball into the Northampton box lacked quality.

He said: “We had the possession and passed the ball around well but the quality of the crossing from right and left, wingers and full-backs, was poor.”