Comley and Frendo to miss Biggleswade game
James Comley will miss the Biggleswade game after his sending off against Bideford. Picture: Leigh Page - Credit: Archant
Red cards for James Comley and John Frendo against Bideford on Monday will see them miss one and three games respectively.
John Frendo was given a straight red card against Bideford so he will miss three games. Picture: Leigh Page - Credit: Archant
Comley picked up his second booking of the match in the 35th minute while Frendo, who had received a yellow card earlier in the match, was given a straight red for an alleged elbow five minutes later.
Comley will serve a one-match ban, meaning he will miss the Biggleswade game on February 25. Frendo will also miss the re-arranged fixture with the Steelman as well as the away game at Truro (March 1) and the home match against Corby Town (March 5).
Both of the dismissals were controversial. In his post-match interview joint manager James Gray said: “The referee didn’t realised he’d already booked [Comley]; he’s got his card out too quick.
“No matter what the referee says I know for a fact that he didn’t know he’d booked him. If he hadn’t sent him off it would have been a talking to but because he’s got his card out too quickly he’s got no option because everyone’s seen it.
“He had a look of shock horror on his face when he realised he had to send him off because it’s never a sending off. He clipped his heels running back; he’s in his own half. It’s not a booking so the referee has got that one completely wrong.”
He added: “John is trying to back into defenders because they’ll come over the top of him; that’s centre forward play. When you’re backing in you try to get your arms out and use your strength. I thought he may have caught him but not to the extent that the referee has given in an elbow; it was never an elbow, he was just trying to hold the ball up.
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“It’s a massive loss because he’s in such good form.”
Unfortunately, continued Gray, poor refereeing decisions are an ever-increasing trend.
“I don’t want to keep harping on about it but they spoil games. I don’t feel, in my opinion, that 50 to 60 per cent of referees are good enough at this level because it’s big, it’s quick and it’s pacy and they get so many things wrong. There’s quite a lot of arrogant referees and want the game to be a little bit about them.”
