Joey Barton seething with officials as Pirates snatch victory

Posted Sunday, December 23, 2018 by PA

Fleetwood boss Joey Barton branded the performance of referee Brett Huxtable and his fellow officials as the worst he had seen in his entire career.

Barton spoke calmly enough after being sent-off himself, along with striker Ched Evans, in a match that also saw 11 players booked, including Rovers substitute Stefan Payne who did not go on.

“Today’s officiating team were as bad as any I have come across in all my time in the game, including junior football,” Barton said.

“Brett needs to have a serious look at his decision-making process. The Bristol Rovers staff we spoke to before the game were concerned because he has been here before and caused havoc.

“We needed a good referee to control what was a very good game of football and unfortunately we didn’t get it.

“I have seen a replay of the Ched Evans sending-off in real time and felt it was a foul on him. Their centre-back has ducked under him to shepherd him away from the ball and they have both ended on their backs.

“We must appeal because it was a very unjust decision.”

Evans, already booked, received a straight red card in the 55th minute for an aerial challenge on Tom Lockyer.

Barton confirmed he too had been banished to the stand after the ugly melee involving both sets of players and staff following James Clarke’s stoppage-time winner, which also ended with Payne’s booking.

Ashley Hunter fired Fleetwood in front with a 28th-minute curler, only for Gavin Reilly to net the equaliser with a stooping header after Alex Rodman had nodded on a 36th-minute corner.

Rovers’ late pressure was rewarded when Clarke shot home from eight yards in the fourth minute of stoppage time and caretaker manager Graham Coughlan was relieved as well as delighted.

He said: “Today we had some good fortune, probably with the sending-off and in scoring the late winner. But there have been many other games this season in which the opposite has been the case.

“I thought Evans’ challenge on Tom Lockyer was an honest one and if it were up to me the game would be more physical because I like that side of it.

“We have given ourselves a mountain to climb and this was the first small step towards doing so. It has been a difficult period since the departure of Darrell Clarke, probably the best manager in the club’s history.

“One win is no good. We have to somehow bottle the enthusiasm shown by the players today and repeat it on Boxing Day at Walsall.

“I see myself as fighting for my job because if a new manager was brought in, he would bring new staff with him.”