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Havant boss slams ‘disrespectful’ Slough after controversial abandonment of match

Havant & Waterlooville manager Paul Doswell has slammed ‘disrespectful’ Slough Town after a league match between the two sides was controversially abandoned.

Referee Ali Ajibola called the game off with just 20 minutes remaining due to the heavy rain which was being soaked up by the pitch at Westleigh Park.

The decision came however after Hawks’ Jonah Ayunga made the scoreline 2-0 on the 69th minute, which was followed by the Slough players and management crowding around the referee on the pitch, leaving many within the stadium confused at what was going on.

Minutes later, the referee blew for the final whistle and called time on the game.

Paul Doswell and his players were furious at being denied an important three points.

 

He said: “We are massively disappointed.

“The referee’s decision to abandon the game when he did was incredible.

“As soon as Slough conceded the second goal, they decided they didn’t want to play any more.

“Their management and players put a lot of pressure on the referee to stop the game.

“They got into him.

“The conditions were the same for both sides and the only difference was that they were losing.

“It wasn’t dangerous – there weren’t any bad tackles and no players had come off with broken legs or collar bones.

“If the game was going to be called off, it should have happened sooner.

“My personal opinion is the pitch wasn’t playable at the start but the referee deemed it fit.

“Maybe the referee should have reconsidered again at half-time, or even after 55 minutes when the rain came down harder.

“Once we got to 70 minutes, though, the last 20 minutes wouldn’t have made any difference.

“He had no reason to stop it when he did because the rain had actually stopped.’

“Even their manager said passing the ball back in the conditions was stupid.

“The biggest disappointment was the reaction of the Slough players in their dressing room.

“They were singing and banging on our doors as if they had won the game.

“It was totally disrespectful of them and not something that I expected.’

Doswell forcefully made his point to their management team in a protracted discussion in the tunnel afterwards.

“It will certainly make the replaying of the game a little bit tastier,” he added.

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