Football: Banished Angell 'will be hung out to dry'

Gavin Hoy's smile says it all as referee Chris Mills signals a goal. Teammates Birhanu Taye (left) and Wes Cain celebrate at Park Island, Napier. Photo/Duncan Brown

Three points is what Hawke's Bay United should have put in their pocket but instead they came away with just as many things to address pretty smartly after a stalemate in Napier yesterday.

Firstly, all the possession in the world equates to nothing if you can't put the ball into the net. The Thirsty Whale-sponsored side should have put up a a margin of at least three goals but, instead, they drew 1-all in round eight of the ISPS Handa Premiership soccer competition against Tasman United at Park Island, Napier.

Secondly, vision and a sixth sense in moving the ball around the park with urgency are more important than any pool of talent in a team environment. Bay United lacked vision, often at crucial times, and when they had it players didn't react quickly enough. It only takes a fleeting few seconds for the opposition to negate promising moves.

Thirdly, when you don't adhere to the blueprint, your coach will bark from the sidelines and it's only a matter of time, in stifling heat, before the bark will turn to a growl and even a bite.

Bay United coach Brett Angell was banished from Bluewater Stadium about 10 minutes before the final whistle after fourth official Mark Roil brought to referee Chris Mills' attention that Angell should be sent off for boorish behaviour.

Angell was in the ear of Roil for the best part of the game, especially after the equaliser from Tasman United striker Maksym Kowal in the 64th minute. Left wing Gavin Hoy had struck first in the 17th minute for Bay United's 1-0 lead.

"I'm tired of it. It happens every ****ing week," Angell hollered as he marched towards the tunnel, yelling at the referees' assessors perched on the balcony of the pavilion.

The disciplinary arm of the premiership will take a dim view of the Englishman, who has transgressed in previous seasons.

Bay franchise general manager Shane McKenzie suspected Angell would be suspended for at least a week.

"He's let the fourth official know multiple times during the game what was wrong and they've decided it's enough," said McKenzie, adding that the officials' report would be critical in any disciplinary action.

Tasman assistant coach Paul Ifill said the day was warm and the match was tough so "tempers had started fraying in the heat".

"To be honest we got away with it today a little bit," he said. "I thought they were the better team but, on the flip side, we've missed a penalty kick to win the game so ...

"We got better in the second half, at times, but we played in patches where we didn't control the game by any point."

The game was "too transitional" for Ifill, who likened it to a game of basketball, but felt that was the only way Bay United were going to score.

"We were trying to over-complicate things so it ended up with us losing the ball in positions where we were out of balance."

Grateful for a point, Tasman would work on improving before playing Auckland City this weekend.

A big fan of Angell and deputising/playing for him here for a summer, Ifill said they saw and heard the rival coach remonstrating with the referees and sympathised with him.

"The refs have got a tough job too but there are jobs on the line so Brett's going to be hung out to dry, as usual," said the former Wellington Phoenix playmaker.

"I don't think he's particularly wrong in this one. I've looked at it and his [gripes] are valid," he said, adding such decisions were crucial in defining a team's season.

"He'll come away and in a few weeks he'll be happy he got a point rather than none but I think right now it'll be all about that decision."

Bay United captain Bill Robertson said it was disappointing because they should have won the game comfortably.

"We dominated in the number of chances created and limited them to very few opportunities," Robertson lamented.

However, the centreback said that theme had become all too common - coming away with little due to the lack of clinical finishing in the final third.

"We should have been more than comfortable at halftime and then in the course of the second half we've had eight or nine really good chances."

Robertson felt the penalty kick awarded after his challenge on Kowal in the 81st minute was "a bit harsh in the competition for the ball in the air in a box".

He drew parallels with Hoy's one-on-one with a Tasman centreback.

"He's yanking back Gavin and he doesn't go to ground and nothing is given. That's the way the referee's seen it so I think it's justice that it [penalty kick] didn't go in," he said after Tasman captain Cameron Lindsay's attempt from the spot hit the crossbar.

With Ghanaian/American import Samuel Adjei again not playing due to injury, he was hoping the physio would clear the striker for the 2pm kick-off against Canterbury at English Park, Christchurch, this Sunday.

"Once we start hitting the back of the net in a game I think it'll be like getting the monkey off the back because it's kind of a mental thing right now that we can't score goals."

Robertson emphasised Bay United would be more worried if they didn't create more chances than the opposition.

It also was a huge tick for the hosts to stand up in the physicality stakes compared to the previous round when Waitakere United shoved them off the ball here in the 3-1 victory.

The referee had a great start to the game, the shirt-pulling and grappling theatrics of last weekend gone under another official, but he had failed to ping Tasman striker Kieran Smith who, sitting on a yellow card, persistently got away with blatant fouls and warnings.

Susbtitute striker Hayatu Wakino proved to be a handful with some great penetration and shots at goal but Tasman United goalkeeper Corey Wilson should be given credit for some great saves, too.