The Stockport manager Dave Challinor attacked “the worst decision I have seen in 15 years of management” after Leyton Orient salvaged a late draw in a pulsating and controversial League One playoff semi-final first leg at Brisbane Road.
Charlie Kelman put the home side ahead on 30 minutes when he slotted home from six yards, with the officials failing to spot he was clearly in an offside position when the ball was flicked on by Omar Beckles. The video assistant referee system will be in use for the final at Wembley but has not been deployed in any of the semi-finals.
Stockport turned it round after the break through a penalty by Ollie Norwood and a Fraser Horsfall header, but Kelman struck from the penalty spot late on to leave the tie in the balance going into the second leg at Edgeley Park on Wednesday.
Challinor said. “Massive kudos to our players for reacting in a positive way to a decision which was the worst I’ve seen in my 15 years of management in what was the biggest game of my managerial career.
“I’ve not spoken to the referee or linesman as of yet but the processes are all completely wrong. That was an absolute shocker. When someone is four yards offside that’s really worrying. I can understand now why there is a scramble to get robots involved and stop human error because incidents like today cannot happen.
“People are putting tens of millions of pounds into football and things can be dictated by a flag and a whistle and that’s not a good place to be.”
Challinor’s opposite number, Richie Wellens, said he did not have a clear view but “people have told me it is offside – and if he is offside, just give it offside. We would rather get a genuine goal. I’ve said it all season that the referees have a huge impact on games at this level. I believe we should have had another penalty, too.”
The visitors had created the better chances in a competitively-fought first period, testing Josh Keeley in the home goal on a number of occasions. Kyle Wootton found himself free in the fifth minute but Keeley raced out to narrow the angle and avert the danger while Will Collar should have done better with a cross when he headed wide.
A powerful drive from Owen Moxon was punched clear by Keeley before Jayden Fevrier, a constant threat down the right, cut inside Brandon Cooper and unleashed a shot which Keeley saved with his feet. But it was Kelman, League One’s leading marksman, who opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, converting the flick from Beckles with ease.
Orient were grateful to the crossbar for protecting their lead soon after the interval when a 25-yard thunderbolt by Moxon beat Keeley but Stockport were deservedly back on terms on 60 minutes. Fevrier sent a cross into the box and Rarmani Edmonds-Green handled the ball, although he was being held down by Horsfall. Norwood slammed the resultant penalty into the net. Stockport then took the lead, with Norwood’s free-kick headed in by Horsfall in the 65th minute.
The Orient substitute Ollie O’Neill was involved in the leveller on 88 minutes when his shot was adjudged by Ben Speedie to have been handed by Horsfall and Kelman stepped up to send Corey Addai the wrong way. Orient might even have snatched an advantage deep in added time but Beckles volleyed over from four yards.
“As a last game of the season at home I thought it was a great spectacle,” said Wellens. “It was something the supporters can be proud of, and the players too.”