Hulse 'goes down too easy'

13 August 2003

...but not in a smutty sort of way, of course. Brentford manager Wally Downes has carefully fallen short of actually accusing Rob Hulse of cheating for getting his keeper sent off last night, but hinted that he may have made the most of Paul Smith's challenge outside the area.

Quoted by the Sporting Life, Downes said of Hulse:

"I think he goes down too easily. We had a player sent off up against him last season and I am not impressed with Mr Hulse. My goalkeeper said he did make contact, but I do not like Mr Hulse. Once we went down to 10 men it was always going to be difficult."

"But I was pleased how we kept battling and that we managed to keep Albion at bay for so long in the second-half. That is the second time we have had to play with 10 players in two successive games and in this heat that is not easy."

Mike Brooke asked his mate Dave, a Crewe fan, about the suggestion that Hulse may be prone to making the most of such incidents. Dave's view was:

"At our place, Hulse was clean through on goal and the last defender dragged him back - I think Downes will find that that's a sending off offence. They had a second player sent off late on in that match for a silly challenge from behind by a guy who'd already been booked. I can't remember who our player was now - it wasn't Hulse - but he was on the touchline just inside our half going nowhere and the challenge was totally unnecessary."

"They also had a right animal of a midfielder sent off at their place who just went round taking people out - he crippled Ben Rix, for example - even their own supporters tore into him for being so stupid! They were 1-0 up at the time but we ended up winning 2-1."

Perhaps, instead of sour grapes, Downes should sort out his team's discipline.

Previous Stories:

  09 August 2003:  Marsh: Still a one-eyed Cockney.....

  05 August 2003:  Walsall sell-out

  05 August 2003:  Three new faces for Walsall?

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