BOBBY Williamson saw the Blues stop the rot with a battling 3-3 draw at Accrington Stanley on Saturday – but he was left fuming after having two strong penalty appeals turned down.
The Chester manager criticised referee Keith Hill for ignoring two spot-kick claims during the second half – one for an apparent foul on Chris Holroyd by Stanley keeper Ian Dunbavin and the other for a clear tug on Kevin Roberts’ shirt as the teenager was about to shoot for goal.
Williamson, who had seen City lose their three previous matches in League Two, said of the Holroyd incident: “I don’t understand why it’s not a penalty. If it’s not a penalty, it should be a foul on the goalkeeper.
“I don’t think the goalkeeper gathered the ball. Chris has got a touch and he’s went down and the referee has ignored our claims.”
Williamson was equally aggrieved by the incident involving Roberts, adding: “Kevin Roberts has got a heavy tug. He’s got a chance of scoring a goal there, but he’s got a heavy tug on his shirt and the referee overlooked that as well.
“There were a couple of decisions out there we weren’t happy with.”
Although Chester avoided defeat, Williamson was once again left unhappy at his team’s defending as two of Accrington’s goals came from set pieces. The Blues have now shipped 13 goals in their last four matches.
Williamson said: “It was great to get the start we got but then we go and concede from a set piece and that’s bit disappointing because it’s stuff we try to work on.
“But you can only delegate the best you can. It’s up to the players to switch on and make sure their men don’t get on the end of things. Unfortunately, it’s happened twice again.”
With Kevin Ellison banned, John Murphy and Nathan Lowndes injured and Simon Yeo having been loaned to Bury, Williamson was left with little option but to deploy Holroyd as a lone striker. The 21-year-old responded with two goals, both close-range tap-ins with Paul Linwood providing the assist on each occasion.
The Blues boss said: “Chris has done very well. He ran the line well and showed good pace, scored two good goals and created an opportunity for Richie Partridge that normally we’d like to see him put away.
“To come back twice shows we’ve got a bit of character.”
City fielded a youthful line-up at the Fraser Eagle Stadium and lost experienced skipper Paul Butler, who was suffering from the flu, at half time. The arrival of Shaun Kelly and Paul McManus as second-half substitutes meant the average age of the City XI which finished the match was just 21.
