Cooper seething after late penalty

Darlington boss Mark Cooper was left angry and frustrated after a controversial decision saw Alfreton Town score from the penalty spot to salvage a 1-1 draw at the Northern Echo Arena tonight.

James Walshaw had given Darlington the lead minutes after the half-time break, but victory was snatched away from Cooper’s side when referee Richard Clark awarded a penalty for what he deemed as a push from Ben Purkiss on Matthew Wilson.

To add further misery to Quakers, the penalty taker – substitute Nathan Jarman – was lucky to be on the pitch when he escaped with just a yellow card after elbowing Walshaw.

But he stepped up and sent his spot-kick past Sam Russell to salvage a lucky point for the visitors.

Clearly frustrated, Cooper described the decision to award the penalty against his side as ‘ridiculous’ and after confronting Clark at the final whistle, he insisted his side had deserved to win the game.

He said: “I thought we were better today than we were on Saturday. I think we deserved to win, it was a ridiculous penalty decision. Slowly, but surely, I think we’re getting better.

“The referee said that Ben Purkiss had pulled back Wilson, but Ben’s said no one came near him.

“I’ve seen it on video and nothing happened, so I don’t know why the referee has felt the need to give that penalty. Our lads are puzzled as to why he’s given it and what for.

“I think the referee has just picked the first name he saw on the back of a shirt and said it was him.

“There were a couple of fouls on Walshaw that were ridiculous, but that’s the league, you’ve got to get on with it.”

After Saturday’s disappointing defeat at the hands of Tamworth, Cooper was looking for a reaction from his players – but he didn’t get it in the first-half.

Quakers did spring to life just before the half-hour mark when Liam Hatch surged down the right.

The striker played in a first-time cross to the back post where Walshaw was waiting, but the ball was intercepted by Alfreton and cleared.

Cooper – and the home crowd – were growing increasingly frustrated and that got even worse when Hatch missed a great chance to put Quakers ahead a minute before half-time.

Ben Purkiss collected the ball out on the right and swung an inviting cross towards Hatch at the back post, but the striker’s header went inches wide.

Cooper blasted his players in the wake of their defeat at Tamworth at the weekend, and judging by Quakers first-half performance, there would have been more home truths said in the dressing room at half-time.

But whatever was said worked, because within three minutes of the restart the deadlock was broken by Walshaw.

The striker has impressed since joining in the summer from Guiseley and he put Quakers ahead when he took control of the ball in the box before finishing past Alfreton keeper Daniel Lowson – his first competitive goal for the club.

There had been little in the way of fouls before the goal, but that all changed after Quakers had taken the lead with the game taking an ill-tempered turn.

First Alfreton midfielder Leigh Franks was booked for a bad challenge on Walshaw, before Jarman elbowed the Quakers goalscorer. He escaped with a yellow, a decision that would play its part soon after.

With the hosts sitting on a slender lead, Alfreton began to press and they almost equalised when Theodore Street broke into the box – Graeme Lee with a last minute interception.

The 82nd minute saw the controversial penalty awarded and after Jarman finished, Quakers pushed to try and win the game with five minutes of stoppage time added on.

Greg Taylor saw a low shot saved by Lowson, before Ryan Bowman failed to score after John Campbell’s cross had found him unmarked at the back post.

Cooper revealed after the game he has handed a trial to a young Spanish defender from Malaga.

The 20-year-old, who can play as a centre-back, holding midfielder or left-back is currently training with Quakers.

MATCHFACTS

Goals: Walshaw 48, Jarman (pen 83) Bookings: Walshaw (28, deliberate handball) Franks (65, foul) Jarman (67, foul), Mackin (73, foul), Hatch (76, foul), Purkiss (81 foul) Referee: Richard Clark (Northumberland) Attendance: 1,965 Darlington: Russell 6; Purkiss 6, Miller 6, Lee 7, G Taylor 6; Chandler 5 (Campbell 85), Atkinson 4 (McReady 46), K Taylor 5; Bridge-Wilkinson 4; Hatch 6 (Bowman 76), Walshaw 7.

Subs not used: Pocklington (gk), Arnison Alfreton Town: Lowson 6; Laws 6, Street 6, Wilson 6, Franklin 6; Brown 6, Franks 6, Mackin 7, Arnold 6 (Hall 54); Senior 5 (Jarman 60), Clayton 5.

Subs not used: Mullen, Hawes, Moult