Bloods slam poor referee

WHITTON UNITED 3 (Wright, Crane, Williams) SAFFRON WALDEN 1 (Stokes) THE Bloods were left reeling after a series of controversial decisions by the referee in their Ridgeons League First Division match against Whitton United on Saturday. Assistant coach

WHITTON UNITED 3

(Wright, Crane, Williams)

SAFFRON WALDEN 1

(Stokes)

THE Bloods were left reeling after a series of controversial decisions by the referee in

their Ridgeons League First Division match against Whitton United on Saturday.

Assistant coach John Butchart described some of the referee's decisions as "unforgivable" in a game that saw Saffron Walden Town Football Club crash to a 3-1 defeat away from home.

"We lost the game, no complaints about that," said Mr Butchart. "But the man in the middle made lots of blunders and that is disappointing for the players and the fans.

"It was a physical game and the Whitton lads put in a lot of big tackles, but we give as good as we get and we look forward to playing them at our ground.

"We had a goal disallowed mid-way through the first-half, but Zac Collins was easily two yards on side. If that goal had been given it could have changed the game."

Whitton scored early in the game when a defensive error allowed Inglis too much time on the ball. He was able to set up Crane who curled the ball passed Walden keeper Edward Lewis.

Responding in the best way possible, Walden upped their game and equalised 10 minutes later. Richard Chadwick beat two defenders to set up the Blood's new striker Paul Stokes to volley the ball into the net.

In a rough 15 minutes of play the Walden physio was called on to the pitch eight times to treat players that had fallen victim to some heavy Whitton tackles. But rather than booking the offending challenges the referee warned the physio for spending too long on the pitch.

Walden then thought they had taken the lead when defender Zac Collins received the ball from Paul Stokes after a long clearance, and fired passed the Whitton keeper. But to the dismay of the Walden faithful the goal was disallowed for off-side.

Two goals in quick succession from Whitton left Walden with no reply. Caught by their pace on the break, Crane was quick to take advantage and fire in his second goal of the game.

From the restart a clearance from Inglis found Williams whose shot deflected off a defender past Lewis in the Walden goal, to leave the visitors 3-1 down at half-time.

The Bloods came out looking lively in the second half, but were unable to convert their pressure into goals.

The match finished with a defeat for Walden leaving them in seventh place in the table and with a bitter taste in their mouth over many of the ref's decisions.

Walden were due to visit Godmanchester on Wednesday in the First Division Cup.

On Saturday they visit Diss Town in the league.