Opposition view: Furious Alexander labels Goode a 'diver' and slams penalty decisions

Salford City's furious manager Graham Alexander labelled Cobblers captain Charlie Goode a 'diver' and slammed two key decisions from referee Lee Swabey after his side's 2-0 defeat at the PTS Stadium on Saturday.
Graham AlexanderGraham Alexander
Graham Alexander

Salford found themselves behind after 34 minutes when Cameron Burgess was adjudged to have fouled Goode in the penalty box, leaving Sam Hoskins to convert from 12 yards.

Cobblers doubled their lead midway through the second-half when Jordan Turnbull finished off a well-worked free-kick routine and that effectively sealed a first victory in five games for Keith Curle's side.

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Alexander was left deeply disappointed with the officiating though, and not only did he hit out at the decision to award Cobblers a penalty but he also felt his side should have had a spot-kick late on.

"It's frustrating because I didn't think there was anything in the game apart from a couple of decisions that went against us and a set-piece goal that we should have defended better," he said.

"For me, the penalty he's given against us is never a penalty. I didn't think it at the time and I've watched it again and the lad's dived and won the penalty.

"I spoke to the fourth official before because he had thrown himself to the ground three or four times in the game at his own end so we tried to make him aware and he knew of it and actually acknowledged it.

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"But sometimes these go against you away from home and that was the only difference between the teams and we were under pressure to get back into the game in the second-half.

"We tried to be patient but another set-piece goal has hurt us badly and then we should have had a lifeline for the challenge on Luke Armstrong, which is definitely a penalty.

"I've seen it again and without a doubt it's a penalty. If the first one is a penalty, that one is 10 times more a penalty but it's not given and that's the story of the game because I didn't think either team was better than the other and it would have been a draw if you take the decisions out of it."

And he didn't stop there, adding: "I expect better decisions because for me they weren't even close. It's just so blatant and having seen it again it's actually worse than what I thought at the time.

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"But he was quick to give it and we have to roll with the punches when something outside of our own performance goes against us. You have to overcome that but we weren't able to.

"We didn't get what we should have in both boxes. It was never a penalty for them and it was 100 per cent a penalty for us and I will go and speak to the ref about it to get clarification."