Chelmsford City manager slams referees

CHELMSFORD City manager Jeff King has lambasted referees for not giving players better protection after seeing his midfielder Chris Moore rushed to hospital with a badly cut eye on Tuesday.

King wants to see players punished for dangerous play after the former Dagenham & Redbridge player was on the receiving end of a high kick in the face after 20 minutes of City's 2-2 Blue Square South game at Bromley.

With blood pouring from his face, Moore was taken to hospital where he needed stitches to his eyelid though it was later confirmed he had a broken nose.

But King yesterday (Wednesday) slammed match officials for not giving players better protection, adding: "It was nonsense – Chris headed the ball out on the edge of our area at head height and he didn't duck down to do it either.

"The home player came in high and kicked him in the face and gets away without even a booking.

"Chris is badly injured and his nose was so swollen at first they couldn't x-ray it but it's turned out to be broken so he will be out for a while.

"When I spoke to the referee he said Chris had lost his bearing and running into the other player which is nonsense. Players need better protection.

"We then have a player booked for a far minor offence in comparison.

"I think all the officials on Tuesday had poor performances but you just have to get on with it.

"Later on Ricky Holmes is scythed down on his way to goal and the defender is just given a booking – there's no consistency.''

City pulled back a two-goal first half deficit to gain a draw and earn a point, and King felt they had been the better side and should have won.

"We gave away an early sloppy goal and then conceded another right on half-time but we still had enough chances to have won it," he said. "I thought we should have killed off the game in the second half – we were well in control."

City take on Bognor Regis Town in the league at Melbourne Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) before entertaining rivals AFC Wimbledon in the Setanta Shield on Monday (kick-off 7.30pm), with extra-time and a penalty shoot out needed to settle the tie on the night.

"Chris Moore will obviously be out but hopefully Chris Duffy will be fit for the weekend – he was having a run out with the reserves last night – and Jeff Minton says he's fit but we'll see," said King.

King also confirmed that striker Danny Webb, signed during the close season from AFC Wimbledon but yet to make his City debut, has been released by the club.

"I told him two weeks ago to find another club as he didn't fit into our plans but I believe he's injured at the moment," added King.