Controversial late goal sinks The Hillmen

As the Elton John song goes “sorry seems to be the hardest word”. That wasn’t the case after Glossop’s 1-2 defeat to FC Isle of Man, which ended their unbeaten home run in 2025.

In a rare moment of humility from the match officials, who had been once again the centre of attention in a Glossop game, apologies were offered to Richard Brodie for several errors which occurred during the game, the most crucial of which was allowing an injury time winner for the visitors with the goal scorer several yards offside.

A disappointing end to a frustrating afternoon for The Hillmen, who had created the best chances of the game and yet failed to take them and consequently came away with nothing.

There are things which the players can control however, and missed chances and ill discipline cost Glossop dearly, meaning the result went against
them and the officiating mistakes were amplified.

Glossop should have been ahead inside five minutes, Keaton Mulvey found Tom Lawless who went to chip the visitors’ keeper who was caught well off his line, but failed to get the necessary elevation on the ball and the tame effort was easily saved.

Right on the stroke of half time another chance was created, again involving Mulvey and left back Phil Perry.

They worked the ball to Tom Lawless, who in midweek had signed a contract with Glossop for the remainder of the season and turned down offers from higher level clubs.

The striker found space in between the Isle of Man centre backs and drove towards goal but dragged his right footed shot wide of both the advancing keeper and his right hand post.

Goalless at the break in an uneventful first half in which the best chances had been not been taken by GNE’s number 9.

Queue the madness - as Glossop mounted an attack down their left seven minutes into the second half the referee inexplicably blew his whistle and
stopped the game for a calf injury to an Isle of Man player.

He then allowed an uncontested drop ball to be hotly contested by the biggest player on the pitch, forcing Glossop to simply clear downfield, and ten seconds later the ball was in the back of Alex Brown’s net.

A long punt forward found an Isle of Man forward in between Badrock and Perry, with both appealing for offside, and it was neatly slotted under Brown for the hosts to move in front.

As frustrations bubbled for all associated with Glossop two minutes later things got worse.

Having correctly given Mulvey offside twice already in the half, the linesman flagged for a third time despite Mulvey having two defenders between him and the Isle of Man keeper and his goal.

Mulvey had controlled the pass from Lee Rick well, held off pressure from the defenders, rounded the keeper and slotted home for what he believed was the equaliser, with nobody in a red shirt even making a polite enquiry for offside.

However, the assistant referee once again raised his flag to deny Glossop a goal.

Glossop showed resilience and for the third time in three 2025 home games were able to come from behind and draw level.

On 70 minutes Conal Gallagher was fouled in the box, the referee took his time to consider his options and pointed to the spot.

Lee Rick stepped up and calmly unleashed a panenka penalty, which defeated the Isle of Man keeper and eventually found its way over the line and
into the net to draw the Hillmen level.

Despite drawing level with twenty minutes to go Glossop were unable to capitalise on any momentum shift and assert any real dominance in the game.

Instead they allowed more drama to follow.

Inside the final ten minutes, and as he was running towards his own goal, Abdul Djalo was bundled over from behind, a clear foul which the referee
awarded.

Inexplicably the midfielder decided to get up and push his opponent to the ground- a red card was rightly issued to the Glossop man.

Alex Brown hadn’t put a foot wrong all game, putting in another calm and assured performance, but a misplaced clearance in stoppage time went
straight to the biggest player on the pitch.

He drove towards Alex’s goal with another forward alongside him and no defender, anywhere near.

Doyle went round Brown, played the ball forward to his strike partner, who had no Glossop defender or goalkeeper between him and the goal, and he struck the ball into an empty net.

Everyone in the ground expected the referee to intervene and give the offside, which he admitted afterwards would have been the correct decision.

It was incredulous that the goal was allowed to stand but it was and the Hillmen finished the game with nothing.

This Saturday sees Richard Brodie’s men travel to Litherland REMYCA.