This was a match between
a team in third place and another struggling to
get away from the danger area.
In the end I am afraid to say it was spoilt by
two of the third team on the pitch - the match
officials.
The Bones were robbed of a thoroughly deserved
point by a controversial decision by assistant
referee Mr Parker in the 72nd minute.
Not one of the Atherstone players or their bench
or any of the just under 200 onlookers saw anything
amiss.
Even Mr Robertson - the referee - who was 10 yards
from the alleged offence looking straight at it,
saw nothing wrong.
But Parker - 35 to 40 yards away - claimed Mark
Hackett had deliberately elbowed an opponent in
the face.
The decision led to Tom Bates converting the penalty
for what proved to be the winner.
Throughout the whole 90 minutes, Mr Parker had
been controversial and had tried to run the game
from the touchline and, at one point, sent a photographer
off behind the fence.
If it wasn't that I am a club official and would
be called before the FA, I would say more about
these two officials.
But as they stayed in dressing room with the assessor
for nearly 45 minutes after the game I think he
saw what I saw.
The game had started brightly for Rothwell with
early pressure and a Robbie Maddox shot was deflected
over and they forced two more corners in the opening
five minutes.
The hosts took the lead in the 18th minute. Following
good play from David Glass and Shaun Goodall,
Martin Flannigan turned and shot home from 15
yards.
The visitors were level seven minutes later when
a free-kick taken 12 yards forwards from where
the original incident occurred was glanced home
by James Mace into the bottom corner giving Shaun
Allen no chance.
Just before the half-time whistle there was another
strange decision when Rothwell were awarded an
indirect free-kick inside the area for dangerous
play.
Four minutes into the second half, Atherstone
should have been down to 10 men when Chris Tullin,
with a leaping two-footed tackle on Michael Boyle-Chong
should have gone. But he received only a yellow
card.
In the 55th minute Glass had a good opportunity
but shot over from 20 yards.
Then came the controversy. Rothwell pushed for
an equaliser and were unlucky with two minutes
to go when a Goodall shot was tipped over the
bar by substitute keeper Dale Belford.
ROTHWELL: Allan, Maddox, Hackett, Flannigan,
White, Medine (sub Locklin, 84 mins), F Koriya,
Boyle-Chong, Goodall, Rogers, Glass. Subs not
used: Underwood, Bridgeford, McIlwain, Pownell.
ATHERSTONE: Williams (sub Belfod, h-t), Mace,
Reece, Guiney, Hood, Tullin, Greenway, Clamp,
Ashby (sub Amory, 70 mins), Civzelis, Bates (sub
Wells, 84 mins). Subs not used: Deylyn, Perry.
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