WEDNESDAY 09 APRIL 2008

Blue Square South

How many times have you heard a manager or fans complaining about decisions made at a game you have not seen, and thought their bias was a factor in their judgement?  It goes with the territory and refereeing, like playing, is an imperfect art.  Simon Knapp did not have the best of games, but a very fair report of this game on the Havant website states that the visitors used a 4-4-3 formation.  Mischievous County readers will draw their own conclusions as to the identity of the extra man!

County managed a total of 19 goal attempts in this match, excluding the one by Lee Jarman which did find the target, but had one of those nights in which they did not score the goals their domination should have ensured.  Havant will probably play much better and lose, but results are measured in goals scored (and awarded!) and they returned home with the precious points.  Even then they needed an outrageous piece of good fortune with PAUL COCHLIN diverting a 21st minute Craig Watkins cross destined for the safe hands of Glyn Thompson past the keeper into the net.

Prior to that unfortunate own goal, debut making Matt Smith had a cross almost fumbled into the net by Havant’s Kevin Scriven, Lee Fowler had the keeper scrambling across his goal to paw away a 20 yard effort, Charlie Griffin and Nathan Davies both missed chances with headers, Griffin connected perfectly with a volley when he had time and space but his direction was wayward, and Havant were hardly functioning as an attacking force.  Julian Alsop and Scriven collided well outside the area when both appeared to be going for the ball fairly, and you wondered if Jules’ reputation and size were factors in the caution when the Hawks keeper suffered an injury in the process.

Havant had a rare chance three minutes after taking the lead but unfortunately perhaps for them it fell to defender Jay Smith who snatched at it and missed the target.  The traffic was then one way towards the Hawks goal though County were forced to reshuffle with Craig Hughes having to come off the bench to slot into a midfield role when Fowler was forced to withdraw with a hamstring injury.  Hughes immediately showed his eye for goal by making a perfect run to latch on to Jason Bowen’s perceptive pass but Justin Gregory’s last ditch tackle was excellent defending.  Havant could have been several goals adrift by half-time without playing any worse, but Scriven held onto a Damon Searle free-kick from 20 yards to ensure their interval lead.

The second half was even more one-sided than the first in the direction of play but County were losing a little of their attacking composure and relying heavily on set pieces and throw-ins with which the overworked Havant defence just about managed to cope.  Gregory joined Alsop in Knapp’s black book for a foul on Searle, but keeper Scriven was growing in confidence after a nervous first half and the pick of his saves so far was from an Alsop header on the hour.  Havant almost managed a second goal in the 69th minute when a Watkins effort was deflected against the post by Steve Jenkins before Knapp cautioned a confused Shaun Wilkinson, presumably for taking a Havant free-kick before the signal!

The equaliser looked ever more likely with the influential Bowen striking the crossbar with a cross which eluded Scriven before the incident which caused most controversy in the 78th minute.  A Paul Cochlin throw-in on the left caused panic in the visiting defence and when Scriven punched the ball out Lee Jarman headed it over him and quite clearly over the line.  Knapp signalled the goal and as home celebrations began several players on both sides became involved in a heated exchange in the goalmouth, all of which was irrelevant as the goal had presumably been awarded.

However, Knapp restarted play with a free-kick to Havant, cautioning Jermaine Clarke and Hawks skipper Jamie Collins, and once again the outcome of a match at Newport Stadium had been determined as much by an inexplicable piece of refereeing as by the skills of the playing participants.  Several reruns of the video give no insight into the reasons for the reversal of the official’s decision, or for any possible explanation for not awarding a goal and one can only ponder what the pundits would have made of it if the TV cameras had been present.  Later Havant’s Gregory claimed the ball had not crossed the line but he was about as convincing as a conspiracy theorist citing the Duke of Edinburgh at the Princess Diana inquest!

Scriven made his best save yet with a flying leap to deny a Hughes header and with the game’s last act Jarman looked certain to head the equaliser but missed the target leaving County fans to contemplate the meaning of life!  A fair result?  Yes, just like the elections in Zimbabwe!

Man of the Match:

County: Jason Bowen (the most creative player on display)

Hawks: Craig Watkins (some good forward runs)

Special mention: Matt Smith (a very competent debut).

© Newport County AFC