Grays Athletic's new manager Wayne Burnett admitted he was left dumbfounded by the award of the stoppage time penalty that settled his side's match at Cambridge United on Sunday.
Lee McEvilly scored from the penalty spot in the 94th minute after a Grays player was ruled to have handled the ball in the area, and afterwards Burnett questioned whether fourth official Graham Bielby should have been in charge of the game after referee Ian Smedley withdrew injured midway through the second half.
"The players have worked and competed really hard out there and come away with nothing," he commented. "I'm not saying we deserved three points but I think a draw would have been a fair result. But to lose a point with a decision like that is unbelievable.
"He has told me it was for handball, but should he have been out there in charge? Should he have been the one to officiate the game when the referee came off? I don't know.
"I'm not making excuses but both players jumped, he's not deliberately handled the ball and we haven't gained an advantage. When players jump they will raise their arms - you have to if you want to gain height. The importance of the game and the timing of it has left me dumbfounded to be honest with you."
Until the award of the penalty it looked as though Grays' stout defending and the form of their young goalkeeper David Button, on loan from Tottenham, had done enough to earn a point, but Burnett said his men had not come to settle for a draw.
"The plan wasn't to come here and defend - we came to win the football match," he stated. "We were put under pressure in the first half but there was no intention to sit back and soak up pressure. We knew that Cambridge are a good team and that pressure would come but we defended very well and there was an element of resilience about us.
"Around the 70 minutes mark we started to come back into the game and got more and more forward and created some chances but it wasn't to be.
"Defensively I thought were outstanding," he added. "It would be unfair to single anyone out because the team as a group showed commitment, desire and togetherness out there and I can't ask for anything more from them.
"Sometimes football is cruel and you don't get what you want. The lads are really down in the dressing room but this result will make us stronger. They will remember coming here and how they are feeling now, and I'm sure they will never want to feel like this again. Still there are positives to take out of this too, and we will do that and take those into the next game."
[Match report] [Fixture list] [League table]
Make Your Click Count For The U's - talk about it on the Message Board!
You are respectfully reminded that any article, as with all content on this website, unless otherwise stated, is subject to copyright © and the Official Cambridge United Website must be acknowledged as the original source including all quotes.
AT080929
