Derek Adams admits spot-kick frustration after draw with Derby

Posted Wednesday, November 02, 2022 by PA

Morecambe boss Derek Adams was left frustrated by the performance of referee Marc Edwards on an eventful night at the Mazuma Stadium where Derby missed two penalties.

Adams, who saw Ipswich awarded two spot-kicks a few weeks ago, said his side were all too often on the wrong end of some major decisions.

And after Tuesday’s 1-1 Sky Bet League One draw, he said: “It’s the second home game in three where a team has been awarded two penalties against us and it does feel like the bigger clubs get the decisions.

“We feel we should have had a penalty and Derby should have had a player sent off for an assault on the halfway line late in the game but when you are Morecambe and up against teams like Ipswich – who were awarded two penalties here a few weeks ago – and Derby, you don’t get the big decisions.

“I’m really proud of my players for the way they played tonight, They created a lot of chances, particularly in the first half and stood up to a side with the ability of Derby and we totally deserved a point.”

Rams boss Paul Warne also revealed frustration and believed his side should have had a third penalty.

He said: “It does feel like two points dropped when we missed two penalties and it was a frustrating night.

“I was more frustrated because I thought we had a stonewall penalty turned down after we missed the first one as well – and I can’t understand why it wasn’t given.

“I felt that was a big decision because if we had scored first I am sure it would have been a different game.

“I was pleased with the reaction I had in the second half after a poor first period and I got that and I will take the point.”

James Collins and David McGoldrick both saw efforts from 12 yards superbly saved by Connor Ripley either side of the break, with Warne’s team grateful to Louie Sibley for securing the point with a goal just before the hour.

The first spot-kick miss came in the 37th minute as Collins’ effort was saved by Ripley low to his left.

The Rams thought they should have had a second penalty moments later when McGoldrick went down under a Ryan Cooney challenge and the Shrimps took advantage of their fortune when they took the lead in first half added time when Jensen Weir volleyed past Joe Wildsmith from the edge of the area.

Derby started the second half on the front foot, with Collins volleying superbly against the crossbar and seeing his follow-up shot handled by Ryan Delaney for a second penalty.

This time McGoldrick stepped up but again Ripley came out on top with another superb save.

The goalkeeper was finally beaten just before the hour when Sibley’s shot from the edge of the area took a wicked deflection off a Morecambe defender to fly into the bottom left hand corner of the Shrimps’ goal.