'The ball was over the line, no argument' - Chesterfield chairman produces proof of the goal that wasn't given
Chairman Ashley Kirk has produced proof that Chesterfield were denied a legitimate goal in their tight defeat at Cheltenham.
The Spireites were 2-0 down and threatening a reply when Lee Bonis’ header looked to given them a lifeline just before half time, only for the officials to rule the ball hadn’t crossed the line.
An image taken by a GoPro camera close by has been posted on social media by Mr Kirk. It shows the whole of the ball behind the line before goalkeeper Wyll Stanway clawed it out.
Cheltenham survived the scare and went on to close out an important 2-1 win.
“There were two officials close enough to make the (correct) decision,” Mr Kirk told the Derbyshire Times. “The ball was over the line, no argument.
"All of our fans were at the other end but I had the privilege of sitting in the directors’ box. I thought it was over at the time and I was on the halfway line a long way away.
"I looked across and I don’t know what made them think it wasn’t. The benefit of the doubt seems to go to a goalkeeper who has fallen into the net.
"It wasn’t particularly close.”
Chesterfield FC have sent the image to the head of referees for League Two.
"It has been sympathetically received but obviously the decision is made and you can’t do anything about it,” said Mr Kirk.
"The EFL put a video post out on Facebook saying ‘save of the century?’
"It is as if they know it’s over the line. I then replied with the image.
"This was me putting it out there more for the fans to see and let them decide for themselves.
"It is not the first time we've had a complaint. We’ve had an apology over another penalty. It’s week after week with this and that but this was a particularly rough call."
The decision summed up the Spireites’ rotten luck on the day.
They hit the woodwork, had a penalty shout waved away and had nearly four times as many shots as the home team but only Louie Marsh’s second-half goal to show for their efforts.
Instead of ending the day a point behind Cheltenham had the “goal” stood, Paul Cook’s side ended it four points in arrears.
"It’s not just the point,” reasoned the chairman. “At that stage we were all over them. You don’t know how the game is going to finish but if you add that and the penalty (claim) and the dominance and the fact we came away with nothing, goodness me that was unlucky.”
The EFL uses goal-line technology only in the Championship during regular league play. It is not installed for regular season matches in League One or League Two.
“I would be in favour of it if there was a cheap solution,” added Mr Kirk.
"The solutions we have been presented with are very expensive. You would hope technology will lessen the cost and it becomes something we are able to use but that’s not the point. The point is the ball was over the line and it was a goal.
“It’s a mistake and now we’ve got to get on with it.”