Rotheram: We can’t blame ref Hewer
Last updated 12:20, Monday, 23 June 2008
Dave Rotheram refused to pin the blame for Workington Town’s dismal defeat against lowly Hunslet Hawks yesterday on Gareth Hewer after the ref’s controversial call handed the visitors the game’s decisive converted try.
The match was tied at 14-all on 55 minutes when Hunslet flyer Scott Childs seized on a loose ball deep in his own half and ran 80 metres to score, with Town fans screaming for a knock-on.
Hewer, from Whitehaven, awarded the try as he and his touch judge, who was close to the action, did not see any fumble. And the coach had no complaints after seeing his team eventually go down 23-20.
“Plenty of Town fans jumped up for a knock-on, but we shouldn’t have to rely on a ref’s call at home against a team that’s had one win all year, to win a game,” Rotheram said.
“A lot of credit to Hunslet, they wanted it a bit more than we did. They out-enthused us and deserved the win.
“We took some poor running and kicking options. At critical moments we made some bad decisions.
“We ran it when we should have kicked, or kicked when we should have run it, and that’s what we need to address. We were too stereotypical, charging up the middle.”
Town now face a long trip to promotion-seeking Doncaster on Friday night.
“We’ll be the underdogs, there’s no doubt about it,” the coach added. “We must look at where we went wrong and give it our best shot.”
Forwards Brett Smith (neck) and Matthew Tunstall (arm) picked up knocks yesterday but should be fit to make the trip to the Keepmoat.
