Hartlepool United manager Craig Hignett explains his yellow card during draw with AFC Fylde

Hartlepool United manager Craig Hingett didn’t hide his frustrations towards referee Gareth Rhodes both during and after the 2-2 draw at home to AFC Fylde.
Hartlepool United manager Craig Hignett reacts to a refereeing decision during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and AFC Fylde at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Tuesday 13th August 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)Hartlepool United manager Craig Hignett reacts to a refereeing decision during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and AFC Fylde at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Tuesday 13th August 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)
Hartlepool United manager Craig Hignett reacts to a refereeing decision during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and AFC Fylde at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Tuesday 13th August 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)

After a fairly clean and straight-forward first half, the Hartlepool manager and fans started to become increasingly vexed by some of the decisions being made.

Hignett felt Fylde’s opening goal had a foul on Mark Kitching in the build-up before being bundled in via a offside Ryan Croasdale.

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The Pools players and coaching staff protested the goal saw The Coasters pull a goal back but they fell on deaf ears as the visitors would go on to equalise moments later.

Referee Gareth Rhodes  during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and AFC Fylde at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Tuesday 13th August 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)Referee Gareth Rhodes  during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and AFC Fylde at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Tuesday 13th August 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)
Referee Gareth Rhodes during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and AFC Fylde at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Tuesday 13th August 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)

As frustrations started to boil over late on, Hignett was shown his first yellow card of the season by the referee due to his conduct on the touchline.

Following the match, the Pools boss explained how the caution came about.

“I was having a go at the ref for a ridiculous decision and I was out of my technical area,” Hignett said.

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“The fourth official told me to get back in my technical area or he was going to tell the ref so I walked back into it but the ref came over and booked me.

“But we’ve had this ref before and we know what he’s like, he was here last year against Bromley. But the less I say about the officials the better because we know what we have to contend with and it’s up to us to put the game to bed.”