Turner: The Ref Bottled It

Shrewsbury Town boss Graham Turner has slammed the referee after missing a stonewall penalty early in the second half.

Shrews’ Terry Gornell was clearly tripped by Swindon’s Alan McCormack as he was through on goal but the referee waved play on much to the annoyance of Turner.

Speaking to the press after the match Turner said,

‘Over my long career I don’t often criticise referees. They have a difficult job. But the decision not to award us a penalty was the big decision of the game – and he bottled it.

‘He might have been overawed by the occasion, by the size of the crowd, but even the Swindon defender was ready to walk – he knew it was a penalty, everybody in the ground knew it was penalty.

‘We were on top, leading 1-0, and there’s a chance we could’ve been two up and they’re down to 10 men.”

Swindon Town boss Paolo Di Canio also confessed he thought it was a penalty and that his side were lucky not to be penalised.

Losing Alan McCormack would have been a massive blow to Town seeing as he is the most influential centre back currently at the club.