Incensed Stevenage boss Steve Evans wanted Hartlepool goalkeeper to see red

Posted Tuesday, April 11, 2023 by PA

Steve Evans was furious that Hartlepool goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk was not shown a red card towards the end of the first half of Stevenage’s 1-1 draw.

Boro are now five matches without a win and have slipped down to fifth having failed to hold on to a 25th-minute lead given to them by Danny Rose’s brilliant header.

But Evans was angry that referee Paul Howard did not dismiss Stolarczyk when he raced out of his box to deny Alex Gilbey.

Howard allowed the game to go on rather than blow for handball when Gilbey’s effort hit the on-loan Leicester goalkeeper – and the Stevenage boss even felt it warranted a red card.

Hartlepool scored a crucial leveller seconds into the second half when skipper Nicky Featherstone found the bottom corner.

Evans said: “We had enough dominance in the first half to put it to bed. But if the referee does his job, we play against 10 men.

“I’m sick to the back teeth of decisions that are stinking. I read what Michael Flynn said about it last week, he said they were atrocious in League Two.

“I now remember the referee (here) for failing to send him off. I will see what he says.

“Alex Gilbey tried to lift it, he star-shapes off the floor and makes himself bigger. It’s hit his arm. It was a free-kick and a red card.

“I have no complaints about the referee in other general parts of his performance, but you can’t get big decisions like that wrong.”

He added: “It was our best away performance in months. They are fighting for their careers as professionals. John Askey has come in and galvanised them. For four months they looked totally ineffective, John has galvanised it with that brilliant support behind them.”

Goal difference keeps Stevenage out of the top three, while Hartlepool extended their unbeaten run to eight matches to breathe further life into the battle to beat the drop.

Pools are a point clear of Crawley below them in the relegation zone and first-team coach Antony Sweeney was positive about the outcome – even though the home side had their own chances to win it.

Sweeney, filling in media duties for manager Askey, said: “I have seen it (the handball incident) back. It looks like it hits under the armpit.

“It would have been a harsh red card. If it was the other way round I would be feeling the same as Steve Evans. But we have to move on.

“It was a bonkers game. The 5,600 in here to watch it will say they have had value for money.

“As the chances flowed second half you think ‘what if’. But with David Ferguson’s clearance with almost the last kick of the game, we will take a point.

“It is mixed emotions. It shows how far we have come in a short space of time.

“We have played against a tough team, a difficult team to play against. We improved second half and we have to take heart from matching teams like Stevenage, Orient and Bradford during this run.

“On another day we would have beat them. Not many teams go on an unbeaten eight-game run in the relegation zone. We have to back ourselves over the next five games to get enough points to survive.”