Colliers manager says 'harsh' penalty decision swung top-of-the-table clash

After skipper Ben Harmison had blasted home his 19th goal of the campaign to put the Colliers ahead on the stroke of the interval, defender Darren Lough was penalised for handball and red carded by referee Lewis Hardy, with Liam Jarvie confidently scoring from the resulting penalty for the equaliser.

“The game obviously swung on a massive decision in terms of a handball and a red card,” said the boss afterwards. “I need to see the footage back so I can only speak from how far away I was at the time, but my initial reaction is that it’s harsh – the ball hasn’t travelled very far – it hasn’t travelled across a lot of distance and the way I looked at it, the ball was kicked at Darren.”

Before kick off the County Durham outfit held a three points lead at the top of the league over second placed Colliers, who had a game in hand, and reflecting on the clash, Skinner added: “If I’m honest, a draw is probably the result neither team wanted – but I thought it was fair and, in the final analysis, I wasn’t too disappointed.

“Newton Aycliffe started brighter than we did then we grew into the game a little bit and we had a period of about 20 minutes in the middle of the first half where we were the better side.

“After losing Darren Lough, we really became a little bit ragged.

“However a cynical foul on Robbie Dale as he’s stepping through so a second yellow for their lad (Ethan Wood) and then its 10 v 10.

“After that, the game probably ebbed and flowed a bit without either team really creating too many chances.

“It was a good game between two good side which attracted a fantastic crowd of 941 on Non League Day and they have seen a good game of football.”

Skinner believes his side have got a tougher run-in to the end of the campaign as opposed to Aycliffe.

He said. “Everybody we’ve got left to face has something to play for.”