Search icon

Sport

06th Mar 2016

VIDEO: The most infuriating, arrogant and mean-spirited piece of refereeing you’ll see all weekend

Nooruddean Choudry

This truly beggars belief.

It doesn’t matter what standard you’re playing at, you expect the match officials to behave with a level of intelligence and common sense.

Both attributes seemed to have escaped referee Trevor Kettle during AFC Wimbledon’s home game with Accrington Stanley (who are they, etc) on Saturday.

With the game at 0-0, and the seconds ticking away until the half-time break, the visitors initiated one last attack. The referee waited. They entered the Wimbledon area. The referee waited.

The ball found its way to striker Billy Kee, who turned his marker. The referee waited. Then Kee expertly stabbed an effort at goal. In between the ball being struck and it hitting the back of the net, guess what…

The referee blew for half-time.

The Accrington players were understandably furious, but their protests were futile. Nil-all it remained.

To say Accrington manager John Coleman was befuddled after game is an understatement:

“I’ve never seen anything like it happen [the disallowed goal] in all my 46 years playing and managing,” said Coleman. “He [Kettle] blew as the ball was on its way into the net. You can’t account for that. Everyone in the ground is flabbergasted.”