Officials in the line of fire

POWER PLAY: Tom Adeyemi shows his strength, but Bournemouth snuff out the danger.

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Bournemouth 0, Athletic 0
Latics denied win as ref rules out goal

THE BEST goal-line technology system is the oldest one in evolution’s book of tricks: a pair of human eyes.

At least a couple of thousand pairs at Dean Court saw that Robbie Simpson’s shot in a lycra-tight game resulted in the ball travelling into, and then back out of, Bournemouth’s goal.

But the only four eyes that counted – belonging to referee Andy D’Urso and his assistant Brett Huxtable – did not recognise the same vision.

The upshot was no goal for Athletic, and one more event on the long list of football’s needless injustices that make such farce of this sport.

FIFA believes that, in the absence of an instantaneous and infallible system, the referee is always right. That’s a laudable notion in terms of respecting the decisions of officials and guarding them against abuse. But it is also a laughable one when it means obviously-good goals are disallowed — despite a weight of evidence sufficient to lay out an elephant.

Anything – even a fifth official sitting behind the goal netting – is better than the current status quo when it comes to contentious strikes - when both referee and assistants are unable to judge with any conviction.

After Simpson had side-footed home Kieran Lee’s low cross left-footed from a tight angle eight yards out, before Cherries defender Steve Cook and goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan combined to scoop it out again, the striker believed he had registered a fifth goal in three matches in added time at the end of the first half.

“It was definitely over the line, without a doubt,” said Simpson afterwards.

Vigorous protests by Athletic’s players as the teams went to the changing rooms at half-time bore no fruit. D’Urso looked to be better placed to award Simpson’s strike than his assistant, whose view was blocked by bodies including Flahavan and Cook.

As pantomime season approaches, though, the villain of the piece, as far as Athletic are concerned, shrugged when it was put to him that the ball was in.

“Oh no it isn’t,” contended D’Urso, a former Premier League referee who these days looks as weary and disconsolate as a seaside town way past its best.

The debate, ironically brought into focus earlier this week by FIFA’s technology tests at Spotland, will continue to rage.

Of more immediate concern for Athletic, ahead of two cup matches of heavy significance, is analysing the rest of this contest.

There were few chances for either side. Bournemouth’s best chances to break through book-ended the game.

After three minutes, lively ex-Bury winger Marc Pugh sliced wide a cross from impressive debutant left-back Charlie Daniels when well-paced only six yards from Athletic’s goal.

And in injury time at the end of the clash, substitute Charlie Sheringham – son of former England striker Teddy – came within inches of claiming a first league goal with a fierce dipping shot from 25 yards which crashed against the crossbar of Alex Cisak’s goal.

In between, Simpson’s goal-that-wasn’t apart, noteworthy incidents were sparse. After a slow start, Athletic got a grip on proceedings with James Wesolowski particularly impressing with his tenacity in midfield.

Centre-backs Zander Diamond – one second-half slip apart – and Jean-Yves Mvoto were very solid in securing a clean sheet, Kieran Lee was terrific again and Paul Black just about coped as the home side’s attacks were constantly directed down his, and Pugh’s, flank.

Going forward, the visitors were quiet.

Chris Taylor’s early withdrawal with a tight hamstring didn’t help with driving the side forward, though Tom Adeyemi’s athleticism came in useful, while Dickov’s couldn’t work out a way to get Luca Scapuzzi involved enough.

And up front, it was a tough day for last week’s hat-trick hero Simpson. Bournemouth clearly had him down as a marked man, barely allowing the striker an inch to play with, and robbing the prolific Shefki Kuqi of his usual supply line.

The Finn did manage a couple of attempts, saved with some ease by Flahavan, while Diamond and Mvoto got their heads to attacking crosses without troubling the man who spent a spell at Boundary Park under Dave Penney.

Daniels came close with a fierce cross-shot which preceded Lee’s burst and cross for Simpson shortly before half-time.

Harry Arter blazed over from the edge of the penalty area after Diamond had been caught in possession by Wes Thomas just after the hour, but both defences continued to be in charge.

Filipe Morais had an impact in making Athletic more direct when he came on to replace Scapuzzi and Athletic finished the game as the stronger side.

Mvoto headed over a Dean Furman free-kick from the penalty spot and home captain Adam Barrett crashed a shot well wide on a rare foray forward, before Daniels tested Cisak’s reflexes for the first time with a low effort.

Sheringham came close to winning the points for Lee Bradbury’s side, but Athletic were at least deserving of what they ended up taking away from a tight and ultimately rather drab contest.