RateTheRef

Hartlepool United FC (First Team) v Northampton Town FC (First Team)
Football League 2   
Referee: Kirk, Thomas
Assistant Referee: Grunnill, Wayne
Assistant Referee: Hall, Bradley
Fourth Official: Sowerby, Matthew

This from the Northampton Chronicle:

Josh Umerah opened the scoring (for Pool) on 37 minutes but replays showed he was at least a yard offside, and then early in the second-half home defender Euan Murray only saw yellow after catching Jack Sowerby in the face with a flailing arm.

Hartlepool may have felt aggrieved themselves over the manner of Sam Hoskins’ equaliser. Mitch Pinnock took a sneaky quick corner, allowing Marc Leonard to charge into the penalty box, but replays suggested the ball was still moving when Pinnock touched it.

All three incidents were shown on the ITV highlights and, in all three cases, I agree with the Chronicle. The offside opener, Umerah was shown coming back from an offside position and then playing the ball leading to the goal. Hoskins equaliser for the Cobblers was bizarre but obviously pre-planned, and whilst Thomas Kirk was perhaps caught out by the speed and ingenuity of the move, there was no doubt that the ball never stopped moving as the corner was taken. And as for the flailing arm, how it didn't justify a red card from Thomas, I don't know. Sounds as though Mr Kirk did not have a good afternoon in the North East.