Northampton manager Keith Curle criticises Port Vale’s defence

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Northampton Town manager Keith Curle has accused Port Vale defenders Nathan Smith and Leon Legge of “wrestling” giant six foot five inches striker Harry Smith.

Many Vale fans felt that Smith and Legge have had an excellent start to the season and youngster Smith’s aerial dominance of Smith despite the nearly half a foot height difference was a notable feature of Saturday’s game.

However, referee David Rock has been the subject of heavy criticism of his performance.

Continue reading Northampton manager Keith Curle criticises Port Vale’s defence at onevalefan.co.uk.

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[TheSage]

It's very hard for referees to police all the pushing and shoving and leaning and shirt tugging, as all defenders and most strikers do it from time to time. 

Smith was booked for a bad foul wasn't he? Clearly whiter than white.

I'm not defending Smith and Legge as the innocent parties all the time. They are not. But the same is true of Smith. Are we saying that he doesn't push and shove and lean in and back in to defenders? 

It's pretty much a case of 50:50 and the referee decides who is in the wrong. But I always think judging the battle between the centre forward and the centre half as to who is fouling who first is almost impossible.

If I was Curle I'd be asking why his team committed twice as many fouls as we did, why 5 players were booked and 1-2 perilously close to getting sent off.

[JRC]

2 minutes ago, TheSage said:

It's very hard for referees to police all the pushing and shoving and leaning and shirt tugging, as all defenders and most strikers do it from time to time. 

Smith was booked for a bad foul wasn't he? Clearly whiter than white.

I'm not defending Smith and Legge as the innocent parties all the time. They are not. But the same is true of Smith. Are we saying that he doesn't push and shove and lean in and back in to defenders? 

It's pretty much a case of 50:50 and the referee decides who is in the wrong. But I always think judging the battle between the centre forward and the centre half as to who is fouling who first is almost impossible.

If I was Curle I'd be asking why his team committed twice as many fouls as we did, why 5 players were booked and 1-2 perilously close to getting sent off.

Cuts both ways, their defenders were all over Pope at times; who was no angel in terms of backing in at times. Ridiculous comments by him as everyone does it.

[bycars rob]

Oh dear. Is he on the sauce again?

[CAVALIER]

Explains why the liner gave them everything if Curle was in his ear all game 

[Smugsy]

Curle must have been listening to chief whinger Artell 

[valeparklife]

Moaning about referring decisions?! Hahahaha!

They'd have lost 1-0 and been down to 10 men if the ref had done his job.

[Santa]

I don’t exactly recall Curle being an angel when he played for Wimbledon either. 

[Paul6754]

Six o' one and half a dozen of the other in terms of wrestling, Thought Legge and Vale's Smith were excellent particularly Legge in the air in difficuly blustery conditions.

More worthy of comment was the tackle of their center back on Conlon which could have ended the Vale player's career if he hadn't jumped out of the way.

[blackdog]

Curle has assembled an expensive squad and the start he has made has one or two Cobblers raising their eyebrows.

He is using the classic trick of deflecting criticism of his own side by being critical of the Vale.

 

[The man in the pub]

They were all over our players yet if Popey sneezes on one of their players than its a foul. Officials were awful, wish we had actually won so that statement couldn't be dismissed as sour grapes. But hey if you were there  then it was obvious the officials were non league standard.