Referee faces the wrath of both fans and Gray

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WHEN Gillingham visited Darlington in 1991 the referee was hit by an apple and slumped to the ground as he left the field. It had been thrown by a supporter in the East Stand at Feethams, angry at the official’s display.

So after his less than impressive performance on Saturday, Craig Pawson should perhaps be thankful he only had the boos of a couple of thousand fans and an enraged Martin Gray to deal with.

Darlington had deservedly levelled after the break and looked good to clinch a first league win. But 90 seconds into injury time Garry Richards scrambled home a winner from a corner contentiously awarded by the hapless Pawson.

The 92nd minute set-piece was given despite Gills sub Mark Bentley, having been tackled by Neil Austin, appearing to concede a goal kick while trying to keep the ball in play.

Quakers protestations fell on deaf ears and when Richards back-heeled the ball into the net Darlington’s unbeaten start to the season was over.

The Sheffield whistle-blower was taking charge of only his second Football League game and some Darlington fans will hope it’s his last.

Long before Richards’ strike, Pawson had turned down four opportunities to award Darlington penalties, finally pointing to the spot in the 77th minute after debutant Franz Burgmeier had been felled.

Rob Purdie tucked it away, his second from the spot in two home games, but there had been stronger penalty shouts.

Pawson had puzzled home supporters by somehow missing a handball by Nicky Southall and seconds later ignored Curtis Weston’s manhandling of Jason Kennedy.

In the first half he waved play on when Adam Crofts’ challenge sent Ricky Ravenhill to he ground, and did likewise when Weston impeded Kennedy when jumping for a high ball.

The Football Association’s recently-launched Respect campaign discourages any abuse of match officials, but Pawson, and his fondness for stopping play with his incessant whistling, stretched Quakers’ patience to the limit.

If he had had any doubts over his own performance, at the final whistle a clearly furious Gray was ready and waiting to tell him all about it.

Darlington’s incensed assistant manager had something to say before the referee could escape to the sanctuary of his dressing room where club officials are not permitted until half an hour after the game.

Dave Penney chose his words carefully but the manager, never one usually to criticise match officials, could hardly avoid Pawson’s performance.

“I can’t say too much because if I start saying things about the referee then I’ll end up getting in trouble,” he said.

“There were a lot of decisions that incensed ourselves and the supporters and quite rightly so.

“You don’t expect something like that to happen, it was never a corner. You can tell by players’ reactions if a decision is right or not, and the referee should have been cute enough to say I have got this wrong.

“Neil Austin and Rob Purdie, who was on the other side of the pitch at left-back, are adamant it wasn’t a corner.

The ball went out, I think linesman gave a goal kick but the referee saw it differently.

“It’s his first year in the league and I don’t think he was up with play a lot but we’ve got to live with it.

You’ve just got to deal with it when you get these referees coming out of the Conference.”

On the various penalty incidents, Penney added: “Sooner or later the referee had to give us one.”

The first claim did not come until the 33rd minute, by which time Pawson had set the tone by booking Ravenhill despite his tackle on Gillingham’s John Nutter being perfectly- executed.

But Darlington could not blame Pawson for the opening goal on 20 minutes which was due to poor defending.

Simeon Jackson latched on to a long ball through the middle that Steve Foster and Ian Miller – who Penney explained was selected as Alan White is still suffering with a virus – failed to deal with and the striker poked past Simon Brown.

Seconds earlier Purdie had lashed a shot narrowly wide as Darlington started brightly, and, although they faded as the half wore on, Quakers started the second half in determined fashion.

Billy Clarke had two efforts in the first five minutes, Ravenhill missed a good chance before Gills keeper Simon Royce saved from Austin.

An off-target Miller header was the best Darlington could manage during a spell of pressure that was finally rewarded with Purdie’s goal after Weston was penalised for tripping Burgmeier.

Darlington had just over ten minutes to grab a winner, but it was Gillingham who stole three points, leaving Penney to ponder his words to Pawson once he had emerged from his dressing room.

Penney added: “Simon saved an initial shot and then their player back-heeled the ball in. It’s a cruel way to lose, especially when you’ve played so well, but that just sums up our day.

“I thought we were the better team throughout. I don’t think Gillingham had many chances and we deserved at least a point.”