Coach Steve Evans of Stevenage has criticised officials once more in the wake of another contentious call that cost his team a weekend away at Leyton Orient.
For the most part of the match, Boro was not at their best; in fact, a defeat was probably warranted as Leyton Orient, who was playing well, visited the Lamex Stadium and “did a job” on the Hertfordshire-based team. The game-winning goal came from Max Sanders’ first-ever Orient goal. The midfielder was given too much leeway to weave his way into a shooting position and then slide the ball into the corner.
Midway through the first half, Stevenage felt they had equalised when top scorer Jamie Reid put the ball in the net, despite not playing at their best. But Jordan Roberts promptly disqualified it for handball throughout the build-up. The midfield player appeared to be struck in the back rather than the arm, according to replays.
Outraged by the situation, Evans—who acknowledged that his squad performed below average for extended stretches of time—admitted to speaking with a former Premier League referee to vent his displeasure.
He declared, “I have lost all honesty, faith, and everything, lost it all with referees, in respect to the entire 90 minutes.”
“Just by the standard, I’ve lost all heart. I said my piece last week, and I’ll say more later.
Evans went on, “I’m not doubting anyone’s integrity, but if that’s the standard of refereeing that we’re always seeing now, it’s pretty painful.”
“I spent almost an hour this morning talking to Howard Webb, and he told me that if I had lost that belief, it would probably be a better phrase to use, but if you have lost that belief, the only way to regain it is via excellent performances. And we witnessed yet another subpar show.
He went on to say that Stevenage has gotten a lot of apology letters from the PGMOL this season, but that doesn’t provide them with the resolution they’re looking for.
They find it difficult to believe that out of the 36 league games played thus far, 17 crucial and significant match rulings have gone against us, all of which have come from his organisation in writing. According to Howard, three or perhaps as many as four significant decisions would go against you in a set of 36 games.
Although it was difficult for him to accept, our secretary is sending them to him. I understand that football is a game of opinions and that referees make decisions; all I’m saying is that I have nothing left within for them.
Although Evans is a controversial character in football, Stevenage supporters currently regard him highly, having led the team to the verge of matching their best-ever league finish. It could therefore be discouraging to hear him talk about getting the stuffing knocked out of him as the run-in heated up. However, Evans has stated that he won’t let it to impact him, and if the last season is any indication, he is being honest.
However, Boro are undoubtedly at a turning point. They run the risk of missing out on the top six spots they have held for the majority of the season due to a period of inconsistency during which their goals have stopped coming in. Nevertheless, Evans is the one who has the ability to inspire this team of players to pick themselves back up. He’ll give it his best on Saturday when they visit struggling Carlisle United.
