An irked Robbie Savage has called for greater support for officials at all levels after star striker Ricardo Rees was sent off in a high-octane clash at struggling Sutton.
Rees was shown a second yellow card on 40 minutes after the ball came off his chest onto his arm as he rolled the ball into the net. The recent signing from Merthyr had earlier been booked for a retaliation foul following a heavy challenge.
Kyle McAllister put Rovers ahead from the penalty spot on 21 minutes after the lively Rees was upended. Savage’s side owed a lot to a couple of smart saves from the impeccable Harry Isted but were left to rue a raft of missed chances before Sutton snatched parity through Jayden Harris in the dying moments of the game.
Savage, who also picked up a yellow card in a game that saw coach Josh Bowen sent to the stands, said: “I’ve never been one to have a go at referees because I know how hard the job is. But I’ve been involved in football for many, many years, and some of the decisions today, for both sides, were quite unbelievable. It’s a difficult job officiating, and sometimes referees need help from their assistants.”
On Rees’ red, Savage said: “When my centre forward runs through, the assistant is in line and the ball comes off his chest onto his arm. It’s clearly unintentional. As you run at speed, the ball hits his chest and then his arm as he goes round the goalkeeper. The referee is absolutely correct to disallow the goal — no problem at all. Correct decision, well done. But what you cannot then do is give a second yellow card for deliberate handball. In all my years in football, I’ve never seen it. If the ball comes off your knee onto your arm, off your head onto your arm, it’s not deliberate. Come on guys — we’re better than that. That decision changed the course of the game.
“From his position, he thought it was a deliberate handball for everybody in the whole world, there was a drone in the park and I think that spotted it as well. It and his chest onto his arm, but only the ref for the assistant who was looking to straight across it because he told me he works laterally. Well, surely if you’re looking across the line, you can see it hit his chest onto his arm. I never moan about referees, but today I have to say something.
“Let me reiterate this clearly: if he deliberately puts his arm out, controls it, goes round the keeper — disallowed goal and second yellow, no problem. But when it hits your chest and then your arm, it cannot be deliberate by law. He has to make a decision in real time, I understand that, he doesn’t have the benefit of replays — but it’s still not acceptable.
“Ricardo’s frustration comes from being taken out waist-high — for me, that’s a straight red card. The referee plays advantage because we’re in a 3v2 on the left wing. I’m told that when we’re pulled back on the left near the halfway line, it’s not a promising attack. So if it’s not a promising attack, stop the game — and it’s a red card.
“Instead, advantage is played, then it’s brought back for a yellow, and Ricardo gets booked for reacting. If the referee stops the game and sends the player off, Ricardo never gets his first yellow. The kid is so unlucky today. I don’t mind players showing fight when they feel wronged — that’s football. I’ll take that yellow.
“I’ve spoken calmly to the referee afterwards, the assessor was present, and I’ve spoken with pride about my team. But again, it’s amazing that a bit of emotion from me gets a yellow, emotion from my staff gets two, and the same emotion elsewhere gets nothing.
“We’ll miss Ricardo now, for Wednesday against Altrincham — another tough game. But this isn’t just about today. And, you know, when we have a meeting at the end of the season, and we talk with the National League—if we’re still in it—something has to be done, because this isn’t good enough. It’s not good enough. Officials need education. There have to be improvements.
“And this isn’t just at our level. I’ve seen it at all levels of the game. We’ve seen VAR decisions in the Premier League—like the worst one I’ve ever seen the other day when Haaland was wrongly ruled offside. What’s happening to our game? Decisions like that being overturned—or chalked off—are happening everywhere.
“It’s hard being an official. It’s really hard. They need help and education. But again, I’m fed up with just talking about it.”
Savage was delighted with the way his side started at Sutton: “The way we started the game was excellent. We were on the front foot, the 4-4-2 really worked for us. (Jili Buyabu)should have scored before we even get the penalty — that little combination was fantastic. It’s a definite penalty, and Kyle (McAllister) reacts brilliantly to pounce on it. Then Ricardo (Rees) could score again, and at that point we’re dominating the game.”
However, Savage bemoaned a raft of missed chances: “”Some of the decision-making we showed going forward wasn’t intelligent enough. Kairo (Mitchell) shoots from the halfway line when we’ve got a 3v2. Knowlsey (Tom Knowles) gets through, cuts back onto his right and squares it — Kairo’s got a tap-in. Temi (Babalola) has to score from six yards out, free header, great ball from Jili. At 1–0, the game should be done. But because we sit deeper and deeper—the forward decision-making not smart enough—they score. A scramble they hit the bar, but the game should have been done.”
Savage heaped praise on recent signings Elijah Morrison, Chibby Nwoko and Gabe Kircough: “Chibby was outstanding, another strong performance. Elijah was excellent on his debut, and it was great to see Gabe come on.”
Savage’s frustration was palpable: “Some of the decisions today spoiled what should have been a really good occasion. Two teams wanting to go at each other, and we come away with a draw. Listen, it’s a draw away from home — that’s one defeat in fourteen — but the lads are devastated because they feel hard done by.
“But it’s a point on the road, a tough place to come, and I couldn’t be prouder of my players. We’ve shown another side to ourselves today — resilience, bravery, togetherness. I never have a go at officials — never — but in all my years in football, I’ve never seen anything like today.”
