Lancing manager Pulling frustrated after Hassocks snatch point

Lancing manager Mark Pulling has revealed his frustration after his side were 'completely unlucky' not to get all three points at home to Hassocks on Easter Monday.
Lancing manager Mark Pulling. Picture by Derek Martin PhotographyLancing manager Mark Pulling. Picture by Derek Martin Photography
Lancing manager Mark Pulling. Picture by Derek Martin Photography

An injury-time equaliser from Hassocks' Daniel Stokes meant the game ended 2-2, but Pulling felt decisions went against Lancing and ultimately cost them the points. The manager said: "We were 2-0 up and in control of the game before they got a sloppy goal. Then we should've had a blatant penalty but the linesman didn't give it, and the referee played six minutes of injury-time which was just ridiculous.

"The whole scenario with them scoring with literally the last kick of the game. We were completely unlucky. We should've had a penalty. How it's not been given as a penalty is just ridiculous."

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Pulling was left aghast when his side were denied a penalty, and then again when captain Al Bygraves was sent off for dissent, and then for a third time when the referee made the decision to play six additional minutes, but he knows his side deserved to win the game and was keen to remove any blame from his players.

He said: "The boys played really well. We had a good shape defensively, we looked good when we attacked and there were two or three times when we were clearly onside and the linesman was flagging, but there's nothing you can do about that sometimes. We played really well, we did our best and we got let down unfortunately."

Lancing also conceded an injury-time equaliser in their previous game against Saltdean, but Pulling admitted that a point was a fair result in that game, with neither side dominating what he called 'a game of two halves.' Addressing that result, he said: "We were better than them in the first half and they were better than us in the second half, so there was no real frustration there."

Lancing go to Lingfield for their final game of the season with nothing to play for, but looking to put the frustration of the Easter weekend behind them, and Pulling insists his side 'want to finish the season strongly.' He added: "It's the last game of the season, I just want them to not treat it as such, and I don't think they will. I think they want to finish the season with a victory."