CHICKERELL UNITED 1

MILBORNE PORT 3

CHICKERELL United manager Steve Coward was furious with the referee’s display in his side’s 3-1 defeat to combative Milborne Port.

Despite dishing out numerous cards to the opposition, Coward was annoyed that a challenge which hospitalised midfielder Joel Protheroe was only given a yellow card.

He said: “It was 100 per cent a red card.

“We weren’t bullied as such but they had four yellow cards and a red, and they should have had at least one other red card.

“It was an awful challenge. Their lad had both feet off the floor and was knee high and the referee gave a yellow card. Even afterwards the opposition admitted it should have been a straight red card.

“It was a pathetic decision.”

Coward was also less than complimentary about his opposition’s robust style of play.

He said: “They didn’t play a lot of good football.”

The Chickens dominated the first period with a number of chances being created to take the lead, with their wastefulness ultimately costing them.

This happened in the closing minutes of the half when a set-piece delivery was met with an excellent header to give Milborne Port the lead.

Things went from bad to worse just after the break when a long ball over the top of the defence created panic, leading to a hasty challenge and a penalty, which was duly converted.

Milborne Port grabbed a third shortly after when another ball over the top was met by the striker who finished comfortably to make it 3-0.

Chickerell chased the game and altered their system to mount a comeback but a resilient Port defence comfortably answered any questions posed to them.

Warren White did manage a late consolation goal, but it was too little, too late in a game of missed chances for the hosts.

Coward said: “They defended well and have two decent centre-halves for this level.

“If we had taken our chances it would have been a much different game.

“But when the balls not going in the back of the net you get frustrated and start pumping balls in there, but it wasn’t to be.”

Chickens: Bickerstaff, Sandeman, Rogers, Miles, Tennant, Protheroe, Harvey, Dewey, Ryan, Welch, White. Subs: Ryan, Bill, Terry