Pinchbeck United 1
Newport Pagnell Town 2
Ian Dunn was left fuming by two “atrocious” decisions on Saturday as his Pinchbeck United side suffered a 2-1 home defeat against Newport Pagnell Town.
The Knights had gone ahead through a sensational left-footed half-volley from Jordan Nuttell on just three minutes of the Future Lions UCL Premier Division clash at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, but a controversial Dom Lawless strike (33) levelled matters before the break.
The equaliser was deemed to cross the line by the assistant referee, but video footage taken on the day has conclusively proved otherwise.
A horror two-footed tackle on Harry Vince was then missed by the same official and went unpunished early in the second period which Pinchbeck dominated, before Yaw Ofosu headed home a winner for Pagnell from a corner in the final minute.
Player/boss Dunn, who is often a quite placid figure on the touchline, admitted that he was incensed by both decisions – especially what he dubbed a “career-threatening lunge” on midfielder Vince.
“The game probably should have ended as a draw,” said the veteran striker. “They pinched a late goal and that’s football, I have no problem with that.
“I felt we dominated the second half, but we didn’t create enough chances to be able to say that we deserved more than a draw. But what really bothered me was the two decisions. I know they can’t watch the video back like us, but at the time it just never looked over the line.
“There was so many bodies between the assistant and the ball and I can only presume that he guessed about it going over the line. Having seen the video, there’s no way it went over. It was just an atrocious decision from the assistant.
“But it was even worse for him to miss the lunge on Harry Vince. I really lost my head after that, it was the kind of two-footed lunge that could have ended his career if his leg had been on the ground.
“For the same assistant referee to get two major decisions like that wrong is beyond atrocious.
“I have sympathy for the referee, it’s not his fault. He looked to his assistant for help and got nothing back.
“It was bad for both teams throughout the game, but it really killed us. We would have been 1-0 up against ten men in the 52nd minute if the assistant had done his job.
“I was more incensed by the foul than the decision. You can accept a dodgy goal, but you don’t want to see players end up in the hospital. Harry got lucky this time, thankfully.”
The defeat is Pinchbeck’s first in ten games since losing 1-0 at home to Deeping Rangers on February 16.
They remain fourth in the table, but are now being hunted down by in-form Cogenhoe United, who are three points behind them with four games left.
Knights: Gorman, Wilson, Field, Shipley, Jackson, West (Sergeant 74), Beeson, Maltby, Nuttell (Cartwright 74), Beck, Vince. Not used: Gaukroger, Ross.
MOTM: Chris Shipley.
Attendance: 82.
