Ritchie defends keepers
23 Sep 2006 - 14:24:09
Barnsley boss Andy Ritchie had no complaints about the sending-off of goalkeeper Nick Colgan early on in the 1-0 defeat at Preston North End.
Colgan lasted just eight minutes at Deepdale before being ordered off for handling outside his area, but Ritchie felt the decision by referee Mr Beeby was correct.
He said afterwards: "The referee got the sending-off right. Nick had no qualms about it, he said he caught it with his hand and it was the reaction of a goalkeeper.
"It's one of those sendings-off you can stomach because they didn't score off it."
Of Colgan's replacement, Vito Mannone - who made an error for the only goal of the game - Ritchie added: "Vito did okay. He'll be all right and it was just unfortunate.
"He got there first and it cannoned off the lad's head and he didn't know anything about it and it ended up in the back of the net."