'Probably not' - Dorking Wanderers boss questions penalty decision against Chesterfield

Kabongo Tshimanga won and scored a penalty to put the Spireites 1-0 up just before half-time but White said that his defender Edward Harris had told him that Tshimanga had backed into him and then ‘fell’ on him.

White said: “I think, at the moment, I would say it was 50-50 at best that it was a penalty. I need to watch it back. We will go home frustrated, a rubbish penalty to give away, probably not a penalty.”

But White admitted that Town had a strong shout for a penalty in the second-half on former Dorking man Darren Oldaker.

“I think if you look at the decision the referee did make across 90 it has almost evened itself out,” White said.

The Wanderers boss was proud of his players’ efforts and felt they could have gone on to win it after they equalised just before the hour-mark but said that the Spireites ‘overran’ them in the closing stages and that Paul Cook’s substitutions made the difference.

“I thought after the first 15 minutes we were so good today,” he explained.

“We played really well and gave a good account of ourselves.

“They (Chesterfield) very much dominated the first 10 or 15 minutes. Then up until half-time I thought we were playing the better football.

“We had a foothold in the game and then we conceded a penalty.

“We scored a great goal and at 1-1 we are so dominant in the game. We looked the more likely to score.

“I thought Paul’s two changes, fresh legs, changed the game. In the end, I thought they overran us.

“I felt like today was a proper Wanderers performance and they never gave in. It was a great performance.

“It was one of those days that got away from us but there are loads of positives.

“I really felt we were going to get a result and at 1-1 I thought we were going to win it.”

White also had some nice words to say about the Spireites and for his former player Oldaker.

“I thought the Chesterfield fans were amazing,” he added. “This club is really good. They look after guests, the fans turn up and get behind their team properly. Well done to Chesterfield, dynamic players, good changes by Paul. I can see how much DJ has developed as a player since he has been here and playing in this division.”