Ian Allinson cut a frustrated figure after St Albans City were dumped out of the FA Cup by Boreham Wood – saying the big decisions didn’t go their way.
Wood had taken the lead on 13 minutes after a hotly-disputed penalty following a tackle on Shaun Jeffers by Tom Gardiner.
And they two goals to the good by half-time with another controversial goal.
This time what appeared to be a clear push on Tom Bender in the build-up went unpunished and Jeffers’ shot took a wicked deflection off Harold Joseph and looped over Dean Snedker’s head.
The visitors killed the game off early in the second half and although Zane Banton pulled one back, sparking a spell of city pressure, Wood held on to the 3-1 win.
And after the game the City boss pointed to the two decisions made by the referee as the key moments in an otherwise close game.
“Unfortunately they led to two goals and that was the only difference in the first half,” said Allinson.
“You do rely on decisions to go you’re way and unfortunately they didn’t.
“Those decisions are tough to take and you can’t express your opinions about them as you’ll just get reported to the FA.
“If you go 1-0 down to a team of this quality and have to chase the game, you’re going to get exposed at the back and if you’re not getting the big decisions it’ll be tough.”
The early penalty especially was tough to take for the Saints man, who felt his side had started brightly.
He said: “It’s difficult because you set your training sessions up on a Tuesday and Thursday about playing to a certain system and I felt for the opening 13 minutes it worked.
“We felt there were areas where we could find holes and Rhys Murrell-Williamson got in once or twice.
“There was nothing in the game, it was very even.
“But I was so pleased with the players because they’re fitness levels stayed constant until the last five minutes when [Wood’s] full-time status started to show.
“But we still tried and if we’d got a second goal, who knows what might have happened.”
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