James Belshaw produces 'superstar' moment as Harrogate Town suffer another ‘ludicrous’ refereeing decision during Barnet FC draw

The struggling Sulphurites managed to avoid a seventh defeat in eight matches on Saturday afternoon as Jack Muldoon’s 76th-minute header earned them a 1-1 draw at Barnet.

But things would likely have played out very differently had Belshaw not produced a fine penalty save to prevent Mark Shelton from making it 2-0 before half-time.

That spot-kick award undoubtedly falls into the ‘soft’ category, with referee Swallow seeing fit to blow up after Idris Kanu drove into the Town box then hit the turf following minimal contact from behind from Reece Smith.

Weaver did not hold back when asked for his view on the decision, and with good reason given the bad luck his beleaguered side has had when it has come to big calls made by match officials of late.

In their previous away game, a severely depleted Harrogate side were on course for a much-needed victory at Notts County until referee Scott Oldham awarded the home side a stoppage-time penalty - which they scored - following an infringement which took place outside the box.

Seven days earlier, the officials managed to miss an elbow to the face of Town defender Anthony O’Connor - which left him bleeding - in the build-up to Oldham Athletic scoring the only goal of the game at Wetherby Road.

Weaver subsequently received an apology for both of these errors from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body which manages all of the Football League’s referees, but on this occasion, some excellent goalkeeping by Belshaw ensured that this latest contentious decision did not prove to be as costly.

“Barnet get a penalty that should never have been a penalty,” the Harrogate boss said.

"I’ve seen it back, and again, it’s a ludicrous decision given against us.

“The decision is a disgrace once again. I don’t know what we have done to receive these decisions, but it keeps on happening.

“But, Belly was a superstar in that moment and pulled off a great save. I was delighted for him. It was an athletic save and it kept us in it.

“It’s kind of reinvigorated the lads, and we came in at half-time fully believing that we’d get something from the game.”

As pleased as he was with Belshaw, Weaver was also quick to highlight the contribution of Stuart Thomson, who is Town’s Head of Performance Analysis.

“Belly did his warm-up and when he came in he reaffirmed what he thought on the iPad,” the Harrogate chief told BBC Radio York.

“Stuart Thomson is a brilliant analyst for us and he showed Belly where he [Shelton] would probably go, and his style.

“He has a certain way, where he delays a little bit, and it was because of Stu’s information that Belly was patient with it and didn’t commit one way or the other.

“He just waited for that moment and made it hard for Shelton. It was a tremendous save.”

Weaver’s opposite number, Dean Brennan, also had a view on that 42nd-minute penalty call, and plenty more to say on Swallow’s decision-making.

“It’s a big moment, the penalty save. It’s a good save by the goalie,” the Barnet boss said.

“But, I thought that out of the four penalty claims that we had, the one that was given was the least of a foul.

“There were three stonewall penalties in the second half. The one on Britt [Assombalonga] in the second half is a stonewall penalty. And the lads are saying that there was a handball on the line from [Oli] Hawkins’s header. But it is what it is.

“I think it’s two points dropped. It’s frustrating. I think that if we played that game again, then nine times out of 10, we’d win it. But fair play to Harrogate, they kept going. They’re in a tough place with injuries at the minute, so I give them credit.”

Saturday’s result was not sufficient to lift Town out of the League Two relegation zone, and they remain in 23rd position, though now sit just a single point from safety.