The one consistent feature of the season

[fulwoodshrimp]

I thought today's game showed the one consistent feature of our first season in League 1, namely the abysmal refereeing. Many of the referees this season have favoured the bigger teams and treated small teams like us very badly. I thought today's referee Gavin Ward exemplified this perfectly. Almost all 50-50 decsions went to Sunderland. I also thought many dodgy tackles were ignored without any booking for Sunderland but lesser fouls by Morecambe led to bookings. Throughout this game and many games Stockton was left unprotected and as soon as he took the law into his own hands he was booked. I suspect if we had been relegated we would have produced many examples where poor refereeing had cost us vital points. I do wonder where the Premiership referees of tomorrow are coming from as many of the League 1 and 2 referees have already been over promoted by a ramshackle system of recruitment that seems to recruit on grounds other than refereeing ability!

[SEASIDECLARET]

I know that virtually everyone will see incidents from a different perspective, today I thought Gavin Ward, (4th official at Wembley when we beat Exeter) did his very best to keep 22 players on the pitch, as otherwise I think Phillips for a reckless tackle and Stockton for waht appeared to be a deliberate elbow into a defenders throat/ face could have resulted in more serious action than bookings. It was a difficult game to referee, lots at stake and in the end it would be difficult to say he had any undue influence on the game

[CityShrimp]

Today's ref made a few odd decisions but overall I thought he was pretty fair!

I do agree with the OPs general point though - that we have had bad luck with referees this season and if we had VAR then we'd honestly have about 10 more points and have finished comfortably mid table.

[marky No.1]

At least the Ref didn't run off the pitch as he blew the final whistle like he did at Exeter when we played down there in their promotion season some years ago

[glagys]

Must agree with OP
Today they were constantly fouling Connolly and no one was booked for the “totting up” process “
And the manager has said before that the refs association had said they got decisions wrong and a sorry letter sent,but that’s not so good when you get relegated through Inept refereeing,it’s about time that refereeing was given a overhaul and be more accountable

[Keith]

I agree that there was some inconsistency in terms of bookings, they could have had two yellows in five minutes, then Phillips got a yellow for a similar foul. I thought Phillips's was a bookable offence, but then the Sunderland one that preceded it should have been too. However, the very clear back-pass was allowed to go unpunished for some reason, so odd decisions went our way too.

On balance, I didn't think he was too bad. Doncaster's goalkeeper literally rugby tackling our player should have been a penalty & red card. Even their own fans said so. That game was 0-0, in the first half. Bolton defender's 'assault' equally went unpunished when it should have been a penalty and arguably a red card. They are the refereeing decisions that could have cost us dearly.

[scalehallshrimp]

Agree wholeheartedly with your comments,we need to get more streetwise, Stockton was getting pulled and shoved all game with no reward. Their players rolled round on the floor as if hit by a cruise missile
Still well done,there are deffo some really good sides in league 1 and can see next season being difficult

[Gone_Shrimping]

Agree wholeheartedly with your comments,we need to get more streetwise, Stockton was getting pulled and shoved all game with no reward. Their players rolled round on the floor as if hit by a cruise missile
Still well done,there are deffo some really good sides in league 1 and can see next season being difficult

We have to target being above the teams around us in the League table , Fleetwood , Shrewsbury , Lincoln , Burton , Cheltenham , Cambridge , Accrington and also the 4 promoted teams Exeter , Forest Green and 2 others.

[redrobo]

Today's ref made a few odd decisions but overall I thought he was pretty fair!

I do agree with the OPs general point though - that we have had bad luck with referees this season and if we had VAR then we'd honestly have about 10 more points and have finished comfortably mid table.

Have to agree with the above comment about the ref.

He allowed play to continue when others would have blown their whistle.

Some challenges from both teams could be defined as dangerous but the ref judged then as being fair for both teams.

For me one of the better referees we've had this season....