Central Coast were denied a clear-cut penalty and had another contentious decision go against them, despite long VAR reviews, in a tough loss to Melbourne City.
Two controversial refereeing decisions, accompanied by farcically long VAR reviews, have cost Central Coast dearly as the Mariners suffered a dramatic 3-2 loss to Melbourne City that sent the champions back to the top of the A-League Men table.
The Mariners were denied what appeared to be a clear penalty, and a chance to equalise at the death, after Mathew Leckie stepped on Lewis Miller’s foot. That followed Melbourne City’s first-half equaliser coming courtesy of a contentious penalty call against Kye Rowles.
Mariners coach Nick Montgomery said the decisions “ruined the game” and needed explanations.
“Tonight, they (City) had a lot of help and for opposition players to come off the park and just shake their head and say ‘I don’t know how we got away with that one’, I’ve never really had that in my career,” Montgomery said.
Miller was left with a gash in his foot from Leckie’s 87th-minute challenge, when the Mariners trailed 3-2.
Referee Shaun Evans initially failed to whistle but went to a VAR review and despite spending almost five minutes checking the footage, inexplicably upheld his original decision.
Miller was dismayed while Mariners coach Nick Montgomery received a yellow card and goalkeeping coach Jess Vanstratten was sent off in the aftermath.
“Lewis Miller’s icing a gash on top of his foot and again I don’t know how you can’t see that live,” Montgomery said.
“The players’ reaction from Melbourne City knew it was a penalty, they know they’ve given the penalty away, you see his reaction and then we have to take the player off because he’s got a gash on top of his foot and apparently, there’s no contact.
“I’m just in disbelief more than anything.”
Earlier in the match, the Mariners were leading 1-0 courtesy of Beni Nkololo’s wonderful strike when Evans awarded City a penalty after Kye Rowles lunged in on Marco Tilio.
The challenge clearly started outside the box but Tilio went down inside the area and to the Mariners’ dismay, Evans gave a spot-kick, not a free kick.
After consultation with the VAR, Evans reviewed his own decision for more than two minutes before upholding it, with Jamie Maclaren coolly dispatching his 10th goal of the season.
“Melbourne City’s first penalty is outside the box and that’s a fact,” Montgomery said.
“First contact is outside the box and when questioned about it, the feedback I got from the officials was it wasn’t the first contact it was the second contact.
“I don’t know when the rules changed but first contact as the player goes down, if he falls in the box and there’s another contact. It’s not the second contact.”
City coach Patrick Kisnorbo was adamant Tilio had broken the challenge then went down in the box after further contact.
“From where I saw it from, it looked like Marco broke the first challenge and it was the second phase of the contact that got him down,” he said.
Florin Berenguer put City in front in the 57th minute, with Oliver Bozanic equalising eight minutes later.
Tilio reclaimed the lead in the 74th minute before the game fell into late chaos.
Ferno
Guest
AL's VAR have few cameras and not great definition. IMO it doesn't help a lot. The more I watch VAR replay, the less conviction I get.
Dibbs
Roar Rookie
Understandable. I know the feeling when a goal is scored, then you have to sit and wait to find out if it's going to count. Sometimes it can be a relief, when you think your team has conceded, then to find out it was overuled. As with any change, it depends on your perspective, and there's positives and negatives to weigh up. It was inevitable that technology would get involved in sport and i think it's here to stay, so let's make it as palatable as possible.
Coastyboi
Guest
Australian Sports Crowds: This week, Western United beat Melbourne City’s attendance (both games played at AAMI Park). WU: 3,200 City: 2,587 ... “Money can’t buy me love!”
Waz
Roar Rookie
The rule is if the foul continues in to the box, even if it started outside the box, it is a penalty. And that’s how it should be. The advantage goes to the attacking side not to the defending side committing fouls. That was confirmed today in the official review saying it was a “non penalty” because the second contact (in the box) was inconsequential (if it had been “consequential” the penalty should have been awarded).
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Well I had pencilled in a pen after the Leckie challenge. Geez I was cursing him but then half hour later it was ruled out. Kind of felt unsatisfying.
Phil Kirkham
Roar Rookie
What is Montgomery’s connection to Sydney FC?
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
VAR Is costing clubs a lot of games.I would say get rid of it its a joke nad is ruining the the game of football.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
VAR has to go central coast got ripped off.Tillio penalty should have been a free kick outside the box.I feel for central coast mariners.
Dustin
Guest
Can't wait until they ditch VAR so I can start going to games again.
Tigertown
Guest
Yup, Evan’s is the key to all of this, but, he’s also a simple puppet. I want to know who pulls the strings. VAR was clear, & Evans ignored it. Bad things happen when good people do nothing. The referee was s##t scared of making a decision, even when the correct path to take was obvious. We need an investigation. Again, the Mariner’s get shafted. The A-League’s sharp sword once again stabs the smallest team in the competition.
James
Guest
It's changed the game. The thing I love most about going to football matches more than anything else is the excitement when the ball hits the back of the net. That is gone. The last A-League game I went to was stopped multiple times for VAR decisions. The decisions were right but the damage was already done. To me it doesn't matter if the decision takes 30 seconds or 5 minutes to make. The rush of excitement is gone and that's all that counts.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
the best defence is a strong offence haha city have enough firepower to blow most sides away (even with leckie underperforming) the issue is the other end where glover is having a career low season, he leads the league in XGA based on how many matches hes played. if you can get through city's press (which is substantially weaker without metcalf) - you can really hurt them. kisnorbo must be praying that o'neil doesn't get injured, if he does - the midfield is completely exposed. (although there is a young adelaide boy earning 6 figures who constantly sits on there bench, that could shore up this problem area) they should still win the league (with or without referee assistance)
chris
Guest
I totally agree with your comments about the refereeing. Abysmal. But lots of leagues around the world have just as bad decisions. I'm sure you don't call them mickey mouse leagues.
chris
Guest
These 2 decisions were so bad I really have no words. That ref is useless and not just in this game.
Half Day Ray
Roar Rookie
VAR isn't making incorrect calls. It's the referees that are using it.
Half Day Ray
Roar Rookie
Not sure that it is the VAR that is the issue. The technology seems to be able to present information quickly enough. It seems to me to be a lot of operator error.
Half Day Ray
Roar Rookie
Yep - VAR rightly pointed out to the ref that he got it wrong. The ref pondered it for an inordinate amount of time and then chose to ignore the blatantly obvious.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
if this was in India thee would be a police enquiry
Punter
Roar Rookie
I didn't see it that way. Both decisions, penalty given to City & non penalty to Mariners were made by referee. The VAR asked him to review both because of doubt, so doing his job. he dismissed both VAR decisions. SO Shawn Evans ensured City won, not VAR.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
It's not a level playing field MF, has not been for years and the resistance by the clubs (I suspect I know who) to not have transfer fees helps keep it so. Interesting listening to ABC TV in the mornings, they're all over the AFLW, barely give the A Leagues a look in. Final report by clubs on NSD released yesterday. Nothing anywhere about it. Games most days this week. Nothing. Controversial ref decisions. Nothing. What are our PR people doing? PR is much more than producing an expensive TV ad. Sometimes I think I'd much prefer NSD, which would give us a couple of games most weeks in SE Qld to attend, rather than the occasional game we get now. And there would be no VAR.