Reds Boss Is Furious

Crawley manager Francis Vines blamed two "disgraceful" decisions for defeat against runaway Conference leaders Barnet.

The first came a minute into the second half when Reds were 1-0 down and Allan Tait latched onto a through ball and side-footed under goalkeeper Scott Tynan.

Defender Anthony Charles raced back and hooked the ball away but it was unclear if the ball had crossed the line.

Tait was adamant it had but his claims were ignored and to make matters worse, Barnet doubled their lead three minutes later when Liam Hatch beat Sean Hankin in the air to head home a free-kick from Richard Graham.

Frustration turned to anger three minutes after the goal when referee David Birkett sent off influential midfielder Simon Wormull.

The former Albion midfielder fouled Graham in front of the dug-outs but it looked nothing more than a bookable offence.

The expression on Wormull's face summed up everyone's surprise, including the Barnet fans, when Birkett produced a straight red card.

The dismissal left Crawley with a damage limitation exercise and Dwaine Lee completed the scoring from close range on 71 minutes after Hatch nodded down a Graham corner.

Vines was furious with the decisions and says Crawley will appeal against the three-match ban Wormull now faces.

He said: "The officiating was poor to say the least and the two decisions were disgraceful.

"Allan said afterwards that the ball was a foot over the line, so I don't know what the linesman was doing. Had it been allowed, it would have been a totally different game.

"Simon's sending off was a disgrace. The referee thought he had gone in studs first and over the top.

"He didn't and once the referee watches the video he will see that. There were much worse tackles during the game and we are definitely going to appeal against it.

"It was a huge blow for us because before Simon went, we were back in the game and probably on top."

Tait said: "My goal was definitely in. The referee said he had given it and then looked at the linesman, who said no, but he was miles away.

"That is what we got the hump about because it would have been the perfect time to score.

"The sending off was a joke as well, it was no more than a booking. The referee was poor and that is the last thing you need when you are playing against a team like Barnet."

Striker Charlie MacDonald, who was the Crawley player nearest the goal, added: "I couldn't say if it definitely went in but I asked the defender who cleared it.

"Normally you would expect him to say no straight away but he said he couldn't tell and for him to say that tells me that it was definitely over."

There is no doubt that was the turning point but whether the result would have been different had it stood is doubtful.

Crawley, ultimately, had themselves to blame for a second consecutive league defeat after mistakes at both ends of the pitch.

They went behind after just 20 seconds which was down to lack of concentration when Ian Hendon was released down the right wing from the kick-off and crossed for Dean Sinclair to head into the bottom corner.

Sinclair starred in Barnet's 3-1 win at The Broadfield in December and scored with a spectacular 25-yard volley, so to leave him unmarked in the box was inexcusable. Reds were then guilty of squandering two golden chances to level before half time.

Neil Jenkins somehow missed the target from eight yards on 17 minutes after Ian Simpemba headed down a free kick by Ben Judge.

John Robinson blasted wide from the edge of the box four minutes before the interval when he had time and space to pick his spot following a neat lay-off by MacDonald.

Barnet, as you would expect from a side now 15 points clear at the top, made Crawley pay and would have won more comfortably had it not been for Phil Smith. The Reds keeper made two one-on-one saves from Hatch and substitute Lee Roache in the closing stages.

Defeat leaves Crawley ninth and a point off the play-off places but they have played more games than all the teams in the chasing pack and have a daunting trip to fellow contenders Hereford on Saturday.

Vines knows a top-five place is now a tall order but insists it can be done.

He said: "It's disappointing to lose two games on the spin but we are not out of it yet. There are 21 points to play for, so maybe five wins from the remaining games will get us in there."

thanks to churchlangbee