GO AD-FREE. Get 2 Months Digital Subscription for ONLY £1! Use code 2FOR1
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
GO AD-FREE. Get 2 Months Digital Subscription for ONLY £1! Use code 2FOR1
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
Hakan Hayrettin slammed referee Phil Staynings and challenged him to retire after Maidstone lost to Dartford.
Hayrettin was furious after Staynings failed to award his side two first-half penalties in their 2-0 derby defeat.
The Stones boss was convinced at the time and, having reviewed the footage, felt he had to speak out.
George Elokobi and Sam Corne appeared to be pulled to the ground by Connor Essam and Craig Braham-Barrett respectively with the game goalless but penalty appeals were turned down.
Hayrettin was also incensed after Charlie Sheringham - scorer of Darts’ late clincher - escaped with a yellow card after catching Elokobi with his arm.
“Where do they get these referees from?” said Hayrettin.
“Moments change games and we should have had two penalties.
“I don’t normally speak about referees but how many times can you stay quiet?
“We didn’t play particularly well, and we’ve made two mistakes for the goals, but what can you say when decisions like that go against you?
“I’m embarrassed for the officials. That referee should be demoted or maybe he should hang his boots up altogether. I challenge him to hang them up. I would if I were him.
“Please don’t send us officials like that again.
“I’m sorry, our league’s elite level, it was given that title for a reason, and we want elite refs.
“We can’t have him at Maidstone again making decisions like that.
“They are two blatant penalties and Sheringham should have had a red card. It’s an elbow on George but he stays on the pitch and scores the second goal.
“He must have seen it to talk to him and book him. If he’s seen it, it has to be a red card. Why spend all that time talking to him?
“What are the FA going to charge me with? Telling the truth. We’ve got the footage to back it up so it’s not sour grapes.
“They’re three critical moments in the game. What are they watching?
“George is having the shirt pulled off his back and the linesman even admitted to me he’d seen Sam yanked to the floor but was waiting for the ref to make the decision because he said was in a better position.
“What chance have we got when you hear things like that?
“What on earth is he there for if he’s not going to put his flag up and help the referee?
“Who gives us these officials? Who trains them?
“I don’t moan about a lot of things but it’s an absolute disgrace. We abide by the laws, we do everything right and we get that in return. Embarrassing.”
Defeat ended Maidstone’s 100 per cent home record and saw them drop three places to sixth in National South.
It was a tight game, settled by goals in the last 15 minutes from Tom Bonner and Sheringham.
Hayrettin said: “It was a close game, a tense game, it wasn’t free-flowing.
“We didn’t play particularly well, not compared to what we’ve been used to.
“We’ve given them a free-kick for the first one and the second one we should be heading that out.
“We didn’t deal with two situations and it’s cost us.”
