The referee hasbottled it, blasts angry manager

Darlington’s equaliser, when a contested free kick was eventually deflected in, left the manager still looking for his first win in charge of relegation-threatened Trinity.

Frecklington said after the 3-3 thriller: “Where has the referee got six minutes from?

“We have been playing teams who are fighting for promotion and we are having to turn up week in, week out and take blow after blow.

“We are playing against 14 men every week – and that is not a lie.

“We had it at Halifax (in a 2-1 midweek defeat last week) where the referee bottled it — and he has bottled it again, against Darlington.

“I am not bothered whether I get into trouble for it (speaking out).

“That performance from him (against Darlington) was shocking, absolutely shocking. Do they not realise what we have to put in?

“The free kick he gave at the end... the officials at this level are poor.”

The home clash with play-off chasing Darlington started badly as Mark Beck gave the visitors a 12th-minute advantage, before Trinity fought back to lead 3-1.

Matt Wilson levelled in the 33rd minute from Greg Tempest’s free kick.

Within a minute Ashley Worsfold had completed the turnaround, taking advantage of Chib Chilaka’s flick-on to lob home.

Chilaka made it 3-1 after his initial effort struck the bar with Tempest again claiming the assist with a long throw that was flicked on by Wilson.

However, Trinity were unable to hang on as Dave Sayers struck twice in the last 14 minutes.