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Gillingham’s fans gave their verdict on Saturday’s match referee and the manager felt he had a shocker too.
The Gills had to make several enforced changes because of injuries following poor challenges that were dealt with leniently by referee Andy Woolmer. There were numerous other decisions that wound the crowd and Evans up.
Fans turned their anger towards the official at the final whistle and he brandished a yellow card for Evans as the manager told him what he thought of the performance.
Commenting on his own booking, Evans said: “I said to him you have had a lot of good performances that I have seen but this was a shocker and he thought that was worthy of a yellow.
“Their manager should have had a red but that is nothing to do with me [Cheltenham manager Michael Duff was cautioned during the match as things got heated on the sidelines].
“I have never had many games where I have seen a home end, immediately on the final whistle, the disappointment will be there because they have not won the game, to then sing what they sang to the referee.
“I saw referee the appointment and thought, ‘good referee’, but as players and managers can do, he got sloppy in parts and that cost us.”
Max Ehmer was fortunate not to have suffered a worse injury than a bruised foot after being caught in the first half, the offender getting away without punishment. Robbie McKenzie was not so lucky but that high tackle only warranted a yellow card for Ellis Chapman. Rhys Bennett and Ryan Jackson were also forced off with knocks.
“It was a shocking challenge (on Ehmer) and he lets it go,” Evans said.
“He has had a poor afternoon, he is not a poor referee, he certainly doesn’t favour one team over the other but he has had a shocker. I had a shocker on April 26, 1984 away at Arbroath. We all have shockers. Andy had a shocker by his standards.
“I don’t blame him for their goal [which may not have crossed the line]. He has governed by the assistant referee.
“All of our players around it were convinced it (wasn’t over the line) and the footage we looked at shows it is partly in but not all in. He gave it, so the stats say it is a goal.”
Commenting on McKenzie’s incident, Evans added: “A yellow card. Really Andy?
“I can’t say what I think because I give the FA enough money don’t I? That FA lawyer is waiting on me saying something so he can get his planner out to be in The Ivy for Christmas Eve. They are waiting on my money but they aren’t getting it this year.
“Just get your referees to referee properly and I wouldn’t get frustrated. Those fans’ words spoke true.”
The Cheltenham boss felt the challenge on McKenzie was a yellow card and nothing more.
He said: "I'm not a big fan of opposition staff jumping off the bench and screaming at the fourth official that it's a waist high tackle when it's not.
"It was a stonewall yellow card. It was a foul, no argument, but it wasn't an above the knee tackle."
More on the Gills;
