Cheats will not prosper insists angry Brown (From Your Local Guardian)

Cheats will not prosper insists angry Brown

6:26pm Monday 13th April 2009 in Football By Sam Elliott

Bromley 2-2 AFC Wimbledon

Furious Terry Brown launched a scathing attack on Bromley after a heated final five minutes at Hayes Lane.

The AFC Wimbledon manager tore into the Dons’ rivals after Ryan Hall’s controversial late leveller.

Leading 2-1, Jon Main kicked the ball out deep into stoppage time to allow injured team-mate Jay Conroy treatment in the penalty area.

But the Kent club refused to kick it back – with Hall instead lobbing James Pullen from the half-way line.

Brown says Bromley stand-in coach Derek Parnham refused to do the right thing and allow Wimbledon a ‘walk-in’ goal because Tom Davis had previous thrown an empty water bottle in the direction of the dug-out.

Ivor Heller, Wimbledon’s commercial director, said after that Mark Goldberg – unable to take his place on the bench because of a serious leg injury – had told him he would have instructed his players to stand aside.

But Brown said: “I’m not having that. I am appalled and disgusted at the Bromley officials that they have not allowed us to walk the ball into the net.

“I asked the referee to ask their manager to do what’s right and he refused on the grounds that Tom has thrown an empty water bottle near him. I know Goldberg isn’t here but that means nothing.

“If I’m over on the other side of the ground with my leg in plaster then my club would have made the right decision. My club has morals and so do I.

“Erik (Samuelson) would have sacked me if I would have allowed that to stand.

“Hall’s a typical flash boy, a typical idiot. That was stupid but their decision is a disgrace. Had they been in a relegation battle then perhaps you might understand their cheating but they’re not – they are going nowhere.

“But we have to turn it into a positive. It will be even the more sweeter when we put this thing to bed. I’m disgusted, we all are. Now let’s leave Bromley behind and get out of this league.”

Wimbledon went ahead after Elliott Godfrey smashed home a loose ball two minutes in.

Jon Main missed the chance to snatch breathing room before long but the away side were awful after half-time and Hall levelled with James Pullen unable to keep out his near-post effort.

The home side, through substitute Warren McBean, could and perhaps should have won it before another two names from the sidelines thought they had stolen the show.

From Lewis Taylor’s nod on, Rocky Baptiste bundled home a minute from time to send the away fans wild – and practically book their Blue Square Premier ticket in the process.

But when Hall shamelessly refused to return the ball he stoked the flames with a 22-man brawl as the final whistle went.

Brown refused his players entry to the bar and demanded they go straight home after the highly-charged conclusion.

But a point at Hampton on Saturday will all-but win the division – and leave all the controversy behind.