Danny Cowley ‘amazed’ by late referee call as Colchester draw with Walsall

Colchester boss Danny Cowley felt his side were denied victory over Walsall by a late refereeing decision in the 1-1 draw at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Cowley was adamant Samson Tovide’s strike was fully over the line before it was cleared by Saddlers substitute Vincent Harper in the closing minutes of the Sky Bet League Two clash.

Cowley said: “It amazes me that it wasn’t given.

“It’s not close – it’s significantly over the line.

“I know we’re a long way from it but it looks in.

“You just have to look at the point of contact and how close their player is to the back of the net.”

Colchester claimed a point after Harry Anderson headed in a 68th-minute equaliser at the near post from Arthur Read’s corner.

Walsall had taken the lead just four minutes earlier when Harrison Burke prodded home the loose ball from close range, after Colchester keeper Matt Macey had parried Mason Hancock’s free-kick into his path.

“We did well in the first half and had good control and dominance in the game and created some good chances,” continued Cowley.

“I’d have liked to have created more – that’s always my feeling with our team.

“I didn’t like us from half-time to their goal.

“We just didn’t smell the game and we kept trying to play through their press and they kept pinching it and it leads to a goal.

“We were disappointed with their goal, of course, but I was really pleased with the response.

“I was proud of the supporters because they stayed with us and they could have easily got frustrated in the moment.”

Walsall interim head coach Darren Byfield was pleased with his side’s performance as they claimed an away draw to leave them two points off the play-off places with six games remaining.

Byfield said: “They left everything out there and that’s what they do every day in training.

“For these games, they’ve been unbelievable and I think the fans could see we were trying to win the game.

“I think it was two good teams and I think for me, a draw was a fair result.

“They keep the ball really well and for the first 20 minutes or so, they were the team that were keeping it but I also felt that they weren’t hurting us with their possession, so I wasn’t really worried about chances and stuff like that, at that time.

“I still wanted us to put a mark on the game and have a go at them but we slowly got into the game and I thought in the second half, we were really good.

“I’m so proud of the boys, because we keep asking them to do something new.”