Ryan On The Record: Rovers chairman on referees, Hartlepool draw, Terry Curran and One Direction
Steve Howard and Shelton Martis battle for the ball. Picture by FRANK REID
AS is usually the case when we go to Hartlepool, we got yet another contentious refereeing decision.
This was the third time we have been there and been on the wrong end of an incorrect call by the match official.
On one occasion in the past our then manager Dave Penney even received a visit from the referee to apologise!
Referee Graham Scott pointed to the penalty spot when 999 times out of a 1000 the shirt tugging and pulling would have gone unpunished.
Why can’t we have consistency over pulling and tugging of shirts?
It happens five or six times a game and apart from a little finger wagging, the offenders are never punished.
Let’s face it, Steve Howard has been around the football circuit and knows how to milk it. He was also holding onto our player.
Mr Scott’s take on it was just not right and as the buzz word in refereeing circles is “consistency” then please let us have some.
Fortunately, Captain Fantastic Rob Jones rose brilliantly to head in Kyle Bennett’s cross to earn us a point and keep us on the cusp of the play-off places.
We could have been 4-0 up in 20 minutes and I was looking at a repeat of Leyton Orient where we got two goals and then kept them out.
Hartlepool were so nervous and were there for the taking but we could not get the ball into the net.
We now go into a busy period with some difficult games on the horizon.
Brentford on Saturday is followed by Tranmere Rovers next Tuesday and then Notts County on the Saturday.
Dean will be taking it one game at a time and laying out his game plans which so far, especially on the road, have gone very well.
It was nice to see Jordan Ball get another run out again on Saturday late in the second half.
He didn’t score but I like his enthusiasm and energy for the cause.
It just goes to show that our manager is prepared to give youth its chance here at Rovers.
I will be popping into the Belle Vue Bar on Saturday to see one of my Rovers heroes from the old days at Belle Vue, Terry Curran.
He will be signing copies of his autobiography and I for one will be buying one and getting it signed.
Terry in some ways did not quite achieve his full potential with us through injury. I did think his skills down the wing would win him an England place one day.
I was sad to see him leave for Nottingham Forest but in saying that we did get Dennis Peacock and Ian Miller in exchange!
Finally, I never thought I would be saying this at my advanced age, but I will be at Monday’s Three Horse Shoes and One Direction game as my guest list just grows and grows.
I hear all the band members are coming to watch Louis Tomlinson play and support the Bluebell Wood Hospice.
See you there and on Saturday.
John Ryan
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Weather for Doncaster
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
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Temperature: 8 C to 14 C
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