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Danny Burnell – @dannyburnell92 

Like most seasons, Torquay have had their fair share of debatable decisions go for and against them. Lewis’ dismissal brought the tally to 4 red’s for United  this campaign, and with numerous other debatable calls since August, I take a look at whether the referee and their assistants were right in their decision making, or very much in the wrong. (I’ll try my best to remain un-biased). These are the big calls I can remember!

Let’s see if things do ‘level out’ during the course of the season…..

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Notts County (a) – 28 August

Decision #1: With our opening away game of the season just 25 minutes old, summer recruit Ali Omar was shown a straight red for a ‘last man’ challenge on County’s Kyle Wootton. Having been isolated by his centre back partner, and facing a foot-race with the striker, Omar made a rather rash lunge, very much taking man first, with little ball. Even the most ardent Torquay fan would say there was no cover for Ali, and in truth, it did deny a obvious goal-scoring opportunity. 

REFEREE VERDICT: RED CARD

CORRECT CALL: YES

 

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Woking (h) – 30 August

Decision #2: It was a miserable bank holiday Monday for the Gulls as Woking ran riot at Plainmoor. Chiori Johnson went one better than Ali two days previously by getting shown his marching orders on minute 23. Having been booked just moments before, Johnson flew into a tackle in a ball he was never going to win. Absolutely no complaints and deservedly sent off to add to United’s woes.

REFEREE VERDICT: RED CARD

CORRECT CALL: YES

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Solihull (a) – 14 September

Decision #3: In what was a strange game in Birmingham that Tuesday night, United should have, or at least had the opportunity to come back home with a point. After 79 minutes of near awfulness, substitute Lolos gave Gulls hope 10 minutes from time to bring the score back to 2-1. Buoyed by the goal, United did eventually make a fist of it, and when CLE drove into the box, it looked for all the world he was fouled. Decision – no penalty, much to the Yellow Army’s dismay. It would have been an unlikely point for the Gulls, but nonetheless, it was an opportunity that we were denied.

REFEREE VERDICT: NO PENALTY

CORRECT CALL: NO

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Havant & Waterlooville (a) – 20 Ocotber

Decision #3: With the game level at 2-2, left back Dan Martin’s rush of blood to the head led to United once again being down to 10. Having come on as a second half substitute, the former Cardiff man made a unsuccessful attempt in getting to the ball. It was reckless, it was late, and it was a fully justified red card. It proved costly for the Gulls as they crashed out the FA Cup.

REFEREE VERDICT: RED CARD

CORRECT CALL: YES

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Barnet (a) – 20 November

Decision #4: An incident packed game at The Hive which referee Sunny Gil failed to impose himself on. The first major decision was to rule out Sinclair Armstrong’s fabulous overhead kick for offside. Upon reflection, linesman got it correct.

REFEREE VERDICT: OFFSIDE

CORRECT CALL: YES

Decision #5: With Torquay well on top after Little’s stunning equaliser, the boys in Yellow pushed for that equaliser. In doing so, that left gaps which allowed Barnet to exploit. With the striker through on goal, Omar made, what I believe to be a good tackle. Defender’s union and all that. Judge for yourselves, but you can see a clear change in direction of the ball which most have only come about from a Omar interception. Oh, and the player fell off 5 yards after the initial contact. Not for me that.

REFEREE VERDICT: PENALTY

CORRECT CALL: NO

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Stockport (h) – 11 December

Decision #6: A decision that very much went Torquay’s way when Antoni Sarcevic brought down Moxey in the box. A fairly innocuous challenge which Moxey made the most of (we’ll call it experience), but the lack of Stockport protests indicates it to it being the correct decision. No complaints from the player.

REFEREE VERDICT: PENALTY

CORRECT CALL: YES

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Yeovil (h) – 26 December

Decision #7: For the first time this season, the Gulls faced a side who received a red card. With the scores level in the Boxing Day clash, Sonny Lo-Everton’s moment of madness proved costly for the Glovers. After getting into a tussle with Lapslie, the midfielder petulantly kicked out at the former Colchester man, and after consultation with his assistant, the ref brandished a red card. Now, if the boot was on the other foot and a Gulls player was sent off for that, I’d be seething. On the flip side, when all is fair and done, you can’t go round doing that on the football pitch. Lapslie won that experience battle that’s for sure. The red was over-turned which perhaps indicates the ref got it wrong on this occasion. 

REFEREE VERDICT: RED CARD

CORRECT CALL: NO

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Eastleigh (a) – 28 December

Decision #8: At a ground Torquay generally don’t get any joy from, it was a decision from the referee which changed the game. And an awful one at that. With United on form with 3 wins on the bounce, and a goal up, Moxey was adjudged to have fouled his man inside the box. In truth, Dean pulled out the challenge, as you can see, but what the referee saw beggars belief. You won’t see a bigger dive this season, and the ref fell hook, line and sinker. Eastleigh scored from the resulting penalty and went onto win the game. Three points lost thanks to the the man in the middle.

REFEREE VERDICT: PENALTY

CORRECT CALL: NO

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Yeovil (a) – 2 January

Decision #9: It was probably the moment of the season so far when Dan Holman’s shot rattled into the net in the dying embers at Huish Park. United fought from 1-0 down to equalise through CLE, before Dan Holman ‘broke’ the offside trap with a scrumptious finish, from an equally delightful Connor chip. But did he indeed ‘break’ the offside trap. Replays indicate he did not, and was just off-side. 

REFEREE VERDICT: GOAL

CORRECT CALL: NO

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Barnet (h) – 19 February

Decision #10: With United in cruise control and 2-0 up, the referee gave Barnet more than a helping hand to allow their first goal stand. Firstly, for not stopping the game for a Moxey head injury (clearly holding his head), and secondly, it looks for all the world Marriott is offside when he received the ball. Gave the Bees the platform they needed to take away a point.

REFEREE VERDICT: GOAL

CORRECT CALL: NO

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Wealdstone (a) – 26 February

Decision #11: We as fans aren’t adverse to the odd shocker from the referee, but David Richardson out done himself in the second half at Grosvenor Vale. A strong driving run for the Lemon into the box ensured his ball found Keelan O’Connell who put into the net for the winner. Or so we all thought. In his infinite wisdom, the man in the middle, together with his linesman 60 odd yards away, chalked the goal off for the ball being out of play. How they could see that from their angle is anyone’s guess, and replays have since backed up the claim the goal was good.

REFEREE VERDICT: BALL OUT OF PLAY

CORRECT CALL: NO

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Bromley (h) – 5 March

Decision #12: The Gulls were shown their fourth red card of the season, and first in four months as Joe Lewis received his marching orders. With the match just 37 minutes old, the defender was caught knapping and hauled his man to the ground, deemed to have been last man. A tricky one and certainly split the fan-base. You’d be annoyed if a Bromley player did similar and didn’t receive red, but I still think it was a little hasty. A case of the ref buckling under intense pressure from the Ravens players? Six red cards in eight National League matches this season for Paul Mardsen tells you the story. Coincidence or too eager to go to his pocket? You decide…..

REFEREE VERDICT: RED CARD

CORRECT CALL: YES, PROBABLY

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COYY – Danny

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TALKING POINTS – Bromley (h) by Philip Swann

 

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