DISGRACE, DISGRACE, DISGRACE

Sometimes football just isn't fair. If there was any justice then we would have won that game at a canter; both Grayson and the ref would have bumped into some psychopathic Forest supporters on their way out of the ground and the home stands would have collapsed taking all of those animals with them. Unfortunately dirty teams like Leeds with their cheating players and management can get away with somehow winning a game 4-1 that they had no right to. They should build shrines and rename the ground for the referee and his linesman who really got them out of the shit.

I generally refrain from using the scum in footballing terms; there are far more deserving individuals for that title (those smashing up London last week spring to mind) but Leeds come as close as any club can possibly get.

Things were looking good until that moment on thirty-six minutes. We were sweeping forward and looked likely to score any minute; especially when Raddy turned two defenders and pulled it back to Tudgay who, with the goal at his mercy, tapped it along the floor rather than hammering the ball as hard as he possibly could. Even if it hit someone at least it might have done a bit of damage. If only...

Cohen had every right to go for the ball. He got there first, he went in with only one foot and made full contact with it and did not touch the man. The Leeds player actually stands on the ball if you watch again and goes for a little flip in the air while Cohen gets up and carries on. By this time, Grayson is somehow on the pitch and there is a swarm of players pushing and arguing.

1. Why was Grayson on the pitch? His reaction was the primary reason the red came out in my opinion. He is a dirty Yorkshire bastard and I wish someone had planted one on his smug face in the middle of the riot.
2. The ref was not sure enough to make a decision. The standard process with such an incident is always to be sure of the offence but it was the linesmen who made the call. They got it badly wrong and lacked the bottle to upset Grayson and co.
3. Why is there this stupid issue everytime that there is a TV game that we seem to have a Premier League referee, As ever, Premiership officials coupled with a live audience spelled trouble.
4. The BBC commentary team, after originally blaming it on Chris Gunter and undertaking a twenty second character assasination of him, saw the replay and changed their verdict. They, like the ref and Grayson, decided to ignore the cracking challenge it was. Proof that these people have no clue about football. 3,000 Reds could see it for what it was and no bias was needed.
5. Grayson stipulated the challenge was two footed - no it wasn't, you prick. Watch again.
6. Grayson said he took the ball and the man - no he didn't. Watch again.
7. Grayson claimed if it was his player that had committed the 'foul' then he would accept - of course you would, you would actually be holding your head in your hands like Billy Davies.

In the aftermath of the dismissal and down to ten, the Forest players adapted well and were still the better team. There was hope that the game could still be won. Unfortunately, Mr. Mark Halsey still had other ideas...

His crimes are far too numerous to recall but many were just plain cheating. At 2-1, we had his team on the ropes until he decided to give a ridiculous foul (and an even worse yellow card) to Wes for something on the half way line. The ball in could have been dealt with better but inevitably it went in to all but kill off our short lived revival.

More silly and attention seeking yellows were happily dished out while Halsey also decided to bring a ball back 35 yards for our 'advantage'. By now, you could only laugh. How could we compete with this? It was somewhat similar to the Oldham game a few years ago with Kevin Friend but that day we all knew we would have lost anyway. I seriously do not think we would have lost that game if we had a competent official in charge.

Forest have decided to appeal and I would love to think this may be one of those rare occasions when action is taken against the referee but we are bound to be disappointed on both counts. How likely is it that anything will be done against Halsey so soon after his return from cancer? Not in a million years. The whole system is corrupt and there is nothing that can be done. He should have stayed on his sick bed.

Our season now lies on the verge of tatters. Not all down to this one game admittedly but it had hardly helped! Down to seventh and Reading still have a game in hand. We have to beat them next week. Anything else is not going to be good enough.

COME ON YOU REDS.