Scunthorpe boss Hurst questions red card

Posted Wednesday, August 21, 2019 by PA

Paul Hurst bemoaned referee Charles Breakspear’s decision to send James Perch off as Scunthorpe lost at Cambridge.

The U’s capitalised on Perch’s dismissal after only 21 minutes to win 3-2, maintaining their unbeaten start to the season which sees them sit third in League Two after four matches. Meanwhile Paul Lewis’ brace means that Scunthorpe remain winless and they sit bottom.

“My initial reaction was I was very surprised,” Hurst said about the red card. “I haven’t met anyone yet who thought it was a red. I’ve seen footage at half time.

“He clearly wins the ball and then I’m not sure what he’s supposed to do with his foot and that’s the issue I have with it. It’s almost like saying you can’t slide. He clearly gets the ball so I don’t really understand the decision.

“I know that he’s got a record of sending a lot of players off. If he’s got them all right then that’s the way it is, he’s got to ref it the way he sees it, but I thought it was a very harsh decision.

“It’s a defeat and a hard one to take. They’ve put in an excellent performance with 10 men, and to have got in front and then levelled the game I’m bitterly disappointed for them.

“We were a whisker away from getting a point but it wasn’t to be but I can’t fault the players’ efforts whatsoever. We just needed to defend those crosses better and that’s something I’ll need to certainly have a look at.”

Cambridge boss Colin Calderwood praised his side for the attacking threat the U’s offered that allowed them to come back and win.

“I’m delighted for the home fans to see some goals. It’s ruining my reputation as a defensive coach!” Calderwood said afterwards.

“To lose the first goal and to come back, when you can do it once (on Saturday) and then you repeat it three or four days later then it builds the belief that you’re never ever beaten in a game.

“We were fairly fluent tonight. We were certainly very controlled, we waited. Certainly the addition of Luke Hannant gave us a forward thrust in the second half and he delivered an excellent cross.

“We stretched them and we had to pull them wide. We found terrific crosses from virtually everyone.

“I’m really delighted and obviously the group are. We’ve done it with a fairly young, thrown together group but (there’s) good harmony within the dressing room at the minute and we’ve got to put our heads down and try and continue.”