Gary Haveron 'more angry' as decisions to rule out three Larne goals 'changed the outcome of the game massively'
Larne head coach Gary Haveron says he’s more angry than frustrated after watching his side have three goals ruled out during their Boxing Day stalemate with Carrick Rangers and feels decisions made by the officials “changed the outcome of the game massively”.
The Inver Reds had the ball in the net for the first time when Cian Bolger headed home from a corner before it was ruled out for a foul in the box while Matty Lusty was also denied an opener after reacting fastest to a rebound.
Andy Ryan then thought he’d scored after the break when tapping in following another dangerous set-piece, but that was also chalked off, leaving Haveron furious.
"I don't think frustration does it justice, it's more angry...to put the ball in the back of the net three times and to not get rewarded,” he told the club’s media channel. “The boys are adamant that there was nothing wrong with the goals.
"Cian Bolger's is ruled out for apparently a push from Andy Ryan...they'll never see a goal scored from a set-piece in any game of football, you will never see a goal because there's contact that is allowed to happen in the game.
"Cian Bolger comes over the top of his man and puts his header in the top corner - what more can you do?
"At that point if you get the goal you get your tails up and they have to come out and play a little bit more, but to put the ball in the back of the net three times and get no reward is beyond frustrating.
"Originally it (the third goal) was for offside and now it has been changed to a foul on the goalkeeper. It's a struggle when they change the reason. I've asked the official at the time for the reasons and he didn't have a clue.
"I don't think the referee has had any help from the two officials because it was them that gave them."
The draw means that Larne remain sitting in ninth ahead of Monday’s trip to league leaders Linfield, who have played six matches more than the Inver Reds and currently hold a whopping 22-point advantage on the reigning champions.
Larne have only played three Premiership games in December so far due to involvement in the UEFA Conference League, where they rounded out their campaign by beating KAA Gent, and weather-related cancellations, and Haveron feels they were denied just rewards at Inver Park.
“How do you go into the players and pick them up or say anything to them when they put the ball in the net three times and they've all been disallowed by the officials?” he added. “It has changed the outcome of the game massively.
"For 80 minutes we've dominated the game but it has always hung in the balance because we haven't got those goals. They are the big moments that change the reflection of the match. I don't think the players got the rewards they deserved."