Here’s a New Year video nasty: Southampton youngster Matt Paterson lunges at Nemanja Vidić in Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Manchester United.
Even today, having seen replays of the tackle, Saints manager Jan Poortvliet insists that Paterson didn’t deserve a red card. Who’s he kidding?! It was a terrible challenge. Both feet off the ground, studs showing… A potential leg-breaker.
Sticking by your players is one thing, but there comes a point when defending the indefensible just makes you look stupid. Referee Mile Riley was quite right to send the teenager off.
Man United went through to the next round with a 3-0 win.
Click on the photo to view the action. You’ll get value for money from this video. In 66 seconds, there’s a screamer of a free-kick, a goal celebration with a prop and a booking.
All right, so it was hard to see the booking. But the referee did show a yellow card to the goalscorer, Chipstead’s Daryl Coleman. His strike gave the Ryman League side a lifeline in their FA Cup qualifying tie against Torquay United. Chipstead trailed by one until the 87th minute when two quick goals by the Gulls saw them progress to the next round as 4-1 winners.
