ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman felt referee Eddie Ilderton was right not to award his side a penalty - despite him initially pointing to the spot against Southend United.

Ilderton awarded Stanley a penalty after a foul by Timothee Dieng on Jordan Clark midway through the second half.

But, after holding further talks with assistant Richard Wild on the far side, Ilderton eventually decided to give the home-side a free-kick.

And Coleman thought it was a fair decision.

“The referee pointed for a corner but when he realised the linesman was flagging for a foul he pointed to the spot,” said Coleman, whose side are locked level on 41 points with Blues.

“But the linesman was adamant it was outside the box.

“ There weren’t too many complaints from our players so although it took him a bit of time to get there you have to think he made the right decision.”

That meant the game ended in a 1-1 draw at the Crown Ground.

And Coleman felt the final score-line was a fair reflection of the match.

“A draw was probably about fair,” said Coleman.

“In the first half we were the architects of our own downfall.

“It was a ridiculous goal to concede and the chances they had were from our own sloppy play in the first half. We scored a wonderful goal to equalise but I felt we were a little bit flat going forward. They stifled us and came here with a game plan.

“We need to be better going forward the pitch was bobbly and it will favour a team which goes route one which is what Southend did a number of times.”