TorquayFans.com | Torquay United Fans Forum

I was there and I didn't think it was a penalty

Ball was swung in and went over everyone's head but looking along the line you could see the linesman flagging.

Ref who was stood in the middle and therefore could see the penalty box speaks to him, awards the penalty and sends mc Donald off.

From the standing area it looked like 2 people jumping for the ball! Maybe the Lino was bored and wanted to get involved!

I'd like to see the replay but no pen for me

Hargreaves not impressed and says that McDonald was sent off for "swiping the corner flag".

Don't know about the quality of the decision but according to the Beeb text updates it was O'Achie who gave away the penalty so why was McDonald sent off? Mistaken identity? If so it can be overturned surely?

Sorry just seen the above post - so its come to sending players off for abuse of a corner flag - that just about sums up the pathetic game management of some of these officials (and I very rarely criticise them because its not always an easy job especially in the pressure cooker conditions of a local derby)!

Mistaken identity !! Separated at birth !!

A Realist wrote:Hargreaves not impressed and says that McDonald was sent off for "swiping the corner flag".

Well if you already have a yellow...don't be an idiot. Pretty simple really.

Petty from the ref to be sure but don't give him the chance.

Not sure about above, McDonald was angry with a BR player and shouted/pointed at him as he went off

His first yellow card also was very soft.

Dutchgull wrote:Mistaken identity !! Separated at birth !!

:S

Good point - but with some of these officials even that is possible! :devil:

I have just looked at the FA rules regarding a possible offense. it seems as if McDonald may have been booked for an offense of impeding an opposition player by foul means.
There is a rule thus.
impeding the progress of a player by moving to impede slow down or block or make the opponent change direction when the ball is not near either player.
Rule 122 of the 12th law. if you can work that out.

seems he was cautioned and hence sent off for shirt pulling.

PlainmoorRoar wrote:Not sure about above, McDonald was angry with a BR player and shouted/pointed at him as he went off

His first yellow card also was very soft.

CH said that McDonald told him that he was butted first and then he got a second yellow for his actions at the corner flag. However as this is the same player that CH only a couple of weeks ago described as "sees stars every day" (in response to him getting concussion at Bishops Stortford) then maybe it would be wise to try and see a replay.

Someone is going to need to explain this for me.......so there was a penalty, but McDonald was sent off for something near the corner flag? So McDonald wasn't involved in whatever the penalty incident was then?

From Hargreaves reaction + the commentators reaction - it can be safely assumed that the decision was ludicrous.
Its a typical farcical decision that went against us again. Hargreaves summed it up when he said that the referee had 8000 people shouting in his ear and had to be strong.
If the linesman could see something from forty yards away then why didn't the ref see it from a much closer position?

Jeff wrote:Someone is going to need to explain this for me.......so there was a penalty, but McDonald was sent off for something near the corner flag? So McDonald wasn't involved in whatever the penalty incident was then?

Obviously I'm guessing here but it seems as if the penalty was given for grappling in the box and then when it was the linesman who gave it, the players went over to protest. In that protest it would seem that AM has taken a swipe at the flag in frustration and picked up a second yellow for dissent. Thats what I made of it having listened to CH interview.

seems as if Agatha Christie has written the plot. get in Mrs Marple

Seems as though Macdonald may have been butted and I guess there was an almighty set to near the linesman who gave the decision. No doubt Macdonald swiped the corner flag in frustration because the penalty had been given against him. Really hard to blame him - in these circumstances.
Getting sent off for swiping the corner flag is just farcical.
What I would like to know is there anyone who seriously thinks that the linesman would have given this decision and a red card would have followed if this had happened when BR were defending.
There isn't a cat in hells chance that these decsions would have been given.

The refs aren only bad in the conference. your having a laugh!!!! Goto ANY fans forum of ANY club in ANY league and you will see the same moaning, blaming the ref and officials for not being consistent is a past time of all football fans who just cannot stand not winning!

Of course they make mistakes, but they do not single out Torquay Utd, some seasons you get a few more go against you, but it from a statiscal point of view it will work itself out over several seasons. Just like injuries do!