Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Pickering Town 3-1 Garforth Town
New Pickering star Joe Dale tackles Garforth’s Mitch Hamilton
Nine-man Garforth Town’s unbeaten start to 2017 came to an abrupt end following the controversial defeat at title-chasing Pickering Town.
The Miners appeared to be capable of extending their four match winning run – their best form since the glory days under Steve Nichol in 2012 – in the first half after the ‘yellow and blue bandit’ Mark Simpson scored his ninth goal in seven matches.
But goals from Joe Dale, Lewis Taylor and Ryan Blott secured the three points for Pickering and increased their unbeaten run to 14 games. The second and third goals came after Garforth left-back Luke Kitson was controversially sent off – the turning point in the game.
Garforth were further angered in the last minute when Simon Poole was farcically shown a second yellow card after the referee almost restarted play after initially forgetting he had already cautioned him.
In his post-match interview, Garforth manager Rob Hunter described referee Derric Wade as the “worst” official he had seen this season.
No-one could dispute that Pickering deserved their victory, but it is likely that Garforth would have been capable of gaining at least a point if they had kept eleven men on the field.
For the opener, Paul Hagreen’s long kick downfield was missed by a Pickering defender. This allowed Simpson to sprint away and coolly finish.
Garforth’s first ire with referee Mr Wade came straight after the goal. Jack McMurrough went down on the edge of the box after winning a header which sent Simpson away in the penalty area. Simpson was about to pull the trigger when the referee incredibly blew for the ‘head injury’ within a second of McMurrough falling to the ground. It wasn’t the wiser thing to do as McMurrough got up straightaway and the visiting players made their feelings known. It was a big decision, one that ultimately robbed Garforth of a second goal.
Inevitably Pickering sprang into life and Hagreen made two excellent saves before Dale capitalised on a slip from right-back Sam Leach to equalise on the half-time hooter.
Referee Mr Wade got his chance to make a really big decision straight after the break. How he deemed that Kitson had ‘deliberately’ handled and denied a goal-scoring opportunity from a through ball is something only he can answer? Although Taylor spectacularly blazed the penalty over the crossbar onto the social club roof, it only served as a brief reprieve for Garforth, who now had to play the last 40 minutes with ten men.
One decision Mr Wade did get right was Pickering’s second penalty on the hour mark. That was how former Nostell man Poole received his first caution as he brought down left-winger Dale. Taylor made no mistake with his second penalty as he blasted the ball down the middle of the goal.
A third Pickering goal was always on the cards, especially since Garforth’s man of the match Hagreen made several further good saves prior to it. Ultimately Blott sealed the victory for the Pikes with a 12-yard blast.
The final word went to Mr Wade, who decided to make Garforth’s lives more miserable in the last minute. At least Garforth can chuckle that the official made himself look silly in the process. After cautioning Poole for the second time, but without showing the red, Mr Wade moved into a position to let Pickering take a free kick before someone informed him that the versatile player was already on his naughty list.
Sam Leach tries to cross the ball for Garforth
The Yellow and Blue Bandit (in pink): Mark Simpson celebrates opening the scoring for Garforth
Jack McMurrough (left) was involved in the first controversial moment in the game
An angry man: Garforth striker Mark Simpson makes his feelings known after the referee denied him a second goal
Pickering’s Joe Dale takes on Sam Leach
New Pickering midfielder Tom Claisse tackles Mark Simpson
Action from Pickering 3-1 Garforth Town
Luke Kitson’s red card will make interesting viewing on Garforth’s match highlights
Simon Poole, who was farcically sent off in the last minute, and his Garforth colleagues may have been better off visiting a local theme park
What They Said
Pickering Town manager Paul Marshall
Garforth Town manager Rob Hunter
The Teams
Pickering Town: Wells, Cooper (Robinson 87), Danby, Claisse, Bissett, Tilsley (captain), Thompson, Birch (Kamara 76), Blott (Dalton 82), Taylor, Dale. Subs unused: Ingram, Marshall.
Garforth Town: Hagreen, Leach (Dhesi HT), Kitson, Beaston (captain), McCrum, Donoghue, Poole, McMurrough, Turner (Rose 32), Simpson, Hamilton (Allsop 72). Subs unused: Turner, Hunter.
Who Was In Charge
Derric Wade (4/10)
Referee Derric Wade was very poor
Mr Wade becomes only the third referee to be awarded a mark below five since Non League Yorkshire started four years ago. He achieves it after a poor display which saw him make a big meal of three major decisions and lose credibility by the end.
In the first half, he blew up ridiculously too quickly when Jack McMurrough went down. Then in the second half, his observation of Luke Kitson’s ‘deliberate’ handball was wrong and cost Garforth a chance of getting something out of the game. The sending off of Simon Poole summed how up well he had been following the game. If you can’t keep track of who you have cautioned then you shouldn’t refereeing.
NLY Man of the Match
Tom Claisse (Pickering Town)
Tom Claisse made his home debut for Pickering
An excellent home debut from the experienced midfielder, who recently joined Pickering from Handsworth.