Hristo Karaivanov
Ossett Town were denied a last minute penalty which could have earned three valuable Evo Stik Division One North points as the 1-1 draw with Harrogate Railway descended into calamity for referee Hristo Karaivanov, writes James Grayson.
Karaivanov over-ruled his assistant referee during injury-time after Town striker and goalscorer Calum Ward was brought down by Rail defender Michael Morris.
The assistant, with the best view in the ground, flagged for a penalty whilst the referee gave a free kick against Ward. Karaivanov even began to run away from the incident after failing to see his assistant’s signal and only realised when a swarm of Ossett players told him.
After discussion with his assistant, a Harrogate free kick was given with the referee claiming that Ward had tugged Morris’ shirt.
The farcical scenes rounded off Karaivanov’s woeful performance which also saw him give a bizarre penalty to Harrogate in the first half.
Ossett Town boss Craig Elliott felt his side deserved to win
But, Ossett manager Craig Elliott admitted the decision not to award his team a penalty in the last minute summed up his side’s recent run.
“It was an absolute definite penalty,” Elliott told Sports Performer.
“Calum has done brilliant and turned his marker and the defender has lost him. The lad has brought him down and you see them given all the time. It was a definite penalty.
“I haven’t spoken to the referee. He told me to go into room at the end (to discuss the decision) but what is the point? They are not going to change anything and there is nothing to be gained.
“The linesman has actually given the penalty so it’s disappointing and hard to take as I think we played pretty well today. Even in the first half when went nearly 2-0 down I thought we were playing pretty well.
“We were looking like we were going to score in the last 20 minutes and I thought we were worthy of a win today.
“We had a nightmare start and it was just a mistake from Shaun and he has held his hands up
“These things happen and it is the way this month has gone. I can’t wait to see the back of November. It has been a difficult month and today typified our month – from making a mistake in the first few minutes to not been given a penalty at the end.
“That is the way our luck has been this month, but hopefully there is better days to come in December.”
Ossett had lost their last four league games and Elliott will have feared the worst after a disastrous start. A mix-up between goalkeeper Rob Peet and defender Shaun Connor led to Robbie Youhill being able to plant the ball into the almost empty net – just five minutes were on the clock.
Calum Ward scored the equaliser for Ossett
Fernando Moke almost equalised with a half-volley that highly-rated Railway goalkeeper Peter Crook saved before the first bizarre moment of the match.
With 24 minutes gone, the whole ground, including the players, were stood in amazement when the referee pointed to the penalty spot for an infringement that hardly anyone saw. Luke Sharry was deemed to have handled the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box and even the Railway players seemed surprised.
However, justice was served as predatory goalscorer Paul Beesley blasted the penalty straight at the on-loan goalkeeper Peet who was able to hold onto the ball.
The penalty miss sprang Ossett into action and the first sign of danger for Railway saw Crook deny Ward, Ryan Qualter and then Shaun Connor into a goalmouth scramble.
For the equaliser on the stroke of half-time Ossett did receive their own piece of good luck. Sharry did handle the ball, but the referee failed to notice and the talented midfielder audaciously tried to lob Crook. The goalkeeper was beaten and Sharry was only denied by the crossbar.
Fortunately for Ossett, the ball fell kindly for Ward and the striker held off a couple of defenders before hammering the ball into the net.
Throughout the second half, Ossett pressed for a goal that would have secured them a morale-boosting win and were only stopped by some magnificent Harrogate defending.
Robbie Youhill had given Harrogate a fifth-minute lead
Crook, a commanding presence for Harrogate, made two fantastic saves from Moke and then Ward early on in the second half. Whilst Ossett were the better team it was not one-way traffic as Railway captain Nathan Cartman and long-serving Simon Parkes both had good chances.
With eight minutes remaining, Railway defender Dan Thirkell put his body on the line to block Ward’s goal-bound attempt.
And as the game drew to a close, Ward thought he had won his side a chance at winning the game, only to be denied by a piece of sloppy of refereeing team-work.
The decision was one of the final acts of the game and Karaivanov was given an earful from a number of Ossett players as the teams made their way into the dressing rooms.
Ossett Town: Peet, Stohrer, Jeff, Patterson, Qualter (captain), Fox (Eyles 70), Sharry, Ward, Moke (C Wood 86), Clarke-Adams. Subs unused: N Wood, Fisher, McDonnell.
Harrogate Railway: Crook, Thirkell, L Hunter, Morris, Wood, Parkes, Youhill (Maloney 66), Metcalf (Ibrahim 80), Beesley, Cartman (captain), Sellars (Bromley 66). Subs unused: C Hunter, Kidd.
Referee: Hristo Karaivanov
Attendance: 155
Man of the match: Peter Crook (Harrogate Railway)
Match Photos are HERE
Reaction from Harrogate Railway boss Billy Miller will be on Sports Performer on Sunday afternoon.