Nolan baffled by decision not to send off Charlton Athletic player
Kevin Nolan expressed his bemusement with the officials at the decision not to give Tom McIntyre a yellow card at the very least, and possibly even a red, when Cobblers were awarded a first half penalty during Friday’s defeat to Charlton.
Charlton were leading 1-0 15 minutes into the game when Tyler Roberts crossed towards Cameron McGeehan, who was waiting to head home at the back post, only for McIntyre to inexplicably punch the ball away. It was a cast-iron penalty, converted by Dara Costelloe, but McIntyre faced no further punishment for the incident, much to Nolan’s bewilderment.
"I'm disappointed with the penalty incident,” he said. “I don't want to get players yellow carded or red carded but there has to be some sort of punishment because our lad is at the back post and he's ready to head the ball in. He's actually denying a goalscoring opportunity. I don't know the rules because there are so many. Is it a yellow card or a red card?
"I asked the ref and he didn't think it was a goalscoring opportunity. How anyone thinks that I don't know. It was only those four (officials) in the whole of the ground that thought that. I don't want to go on about referees because I know they have a tough job but they need to get those moments right."
McGeehan was particularly animated after the awarding of the penalty, both frustrated by the lack of a card for McIntyre and also because he wanted to take the spot-kick.
"Cam was unhappy with the referee and what he said to him,” Nolan added. “Cam's saying he's going to head the ball in. He wants to score goals and he knew he was about to score and their lads knows that as well and that’s why he's put his arm up and done that.
"I can't think why it wouldn’t be a red card. If you do that on the line, it's a red card. It's exactly the same because Cam's about to head the ball and he's two yards out. I don't think the referee took the necessary action.”