Goldberg: AFC Wimbledon players are to blame for controversy (From News Shopper)

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Goldberg: AFC Wimbledon players are to blame for controversy

4:22pm Wednesday 15th April 2009 in Bromley By Paul Green

Mark Goldberg believes his side deserved at least a draw after a spirited second half display

MARK Goldberg has revealed the behaviour of AFC Wimbledon players after Ryan Hall’s controversial injury time equaliser had cost the Dons victory on Easter Monday.

The Bromley manager was not in the dugout because of a serious knee injury which caused him to miss even seeing the goal.

Goldberg conceded he would have been prepared to have told his players to stand aside and allow the Dons to score again.

However, several Wimbledon players aggressively confronted the Bromley bench after the goal had gone in and this reaction ultimately led to the decision not to gift the visitors three points.

Goldberg said: “Del Parnham, who usually works in the football in the community project, was asked to step up and be my assistant for the day.

“He was left in a difficult situation as he had a water bottle thrown at his neck and was verbally abused by Tom Davis, as well as a number of other people.

“It was an incident where, in the heat of the moment after being abused, he wasn’t prepared to allow them to score.

“The incident itself could have been serious. I think it hit his chest but had it been an inch higher, it could have been very dangerous.

"At the time it was an awkward situation, but if you’re abused and have a water bottle thrown at your neck, all sportsmanship goes out of the window.”

Wimbledon’s commercial director Ivor Heller was quoted elsewhere claiming Goldberg had told him he would have allowed Wimbledon to score.

And although the Bromley boss confirmed this was true, he also made clear he hadn’t seen the goal at the time.

Goldberg explained: “I didn't know the full extent of the incident as I was watching the game from upstairs.

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“I was making my way downstairs and through the tunnel when the incident occurred and I only became aware of what happened after the match had finished.

“I had no idea of how the goal had been scored. I thought maybe the ball hadn’t crossed the line and i didn’t hear about what actually happened until after the game.”

He added: “I would have done the right thing if I had of known about it.

“But at the same time, I think it's fair to say we deserved at least a draw out of the game.

“During the course of the game, and certainty in the second half, we deserved at least a point. If anything, we should have got all three points.”

And Goldberg also clarified that it was Parnham, and not coach Murray Jones, who had been in charge of the Lillywhites on the day.

The manager said: “I would like to put the record straight and confir Murray Jones was away with the academy winning the Amsterdam Trophy.

“He has come back and had his reputation tarnished a little with this and I think it's important to put that message back out there.”

Goldberg also leapt to the defence of Hall, who was described by Dons boss Terry Brown as “a typical flash boy, a typical idiot”.

The Lillies chief has yet to speak to his player about the controversial incident but added: “I'm still not sure if Ryan Hall intended to score or not.

“However, he certainly isn’t flash and quite clearly the fact he scored two goals from midfield, in whatever circumstances, shows he is no idiot.”

Comments(18)

Excalibur says...
8:17pm Wed 15 Apr 09

Typical moron-ball thinking from a real clown. No-one believes your lies, Goldberg. Just accept facts, Bromley are a nasty, spiteful club who are going nowhere fast.