Haringey Borough boss Loizou blames defensive injuries as poor run continues
Tom Loizou, manager of Haringey Borough. Picture: George Phillipou/TGS Photo - Credit: George Phillipou/TGS Photo
Haringey Borough boss Tom Loizou bemoaned injuries and a contentious penalty decision as his side’s run without a win stretched to six games with defeat at Bowers & Pitsea.
Despite a late rally, the north London side slipped to a 3-2 defeat leaving them 15th in the Isthmian League Premier Division having also lost 2-0 at Horsham on Saturday.
"I've lost all my defenders. No matter what changes we make at the back, we're conceding two or three goals a game at the moment," Loizou explained.
"I had to bring my son Andrew [Loizou] not quite out of retirement - but he's coming back from injury so hasn't had many games - to play him at left back so other players could be rested."
Haringey fell behind in the eighth minute through a Brad Warner penalty after Loizou was adjudged to have fouled Quentin Monville.
The Borough levelled ten minutes later when Daniel Alkindayini converted the game's second penalty - a decision which Loizou was equally unconvinced by.
But after conceding two goals early in the second half, Borough were unable to find the equalising blow despite a late Alkindayini consolation and the best efforts of Roman Michael-Percil.
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Loizou added: "Even from where I was sitting everyone could see it wasn't a penalty.
"My son came out with the ball. The referee said both their legs got tangled.
"I asked the players at half-time and they said their player got up and laughed and told them it never was a penalty.
"Ours wasn't a penalty either. Two players collided in the box. I think the referee felt a little bit guilty about the earlier one.
"With three minutes to go Roman raced through and with just the keeper to beat smashed him full in the face and knocked him out.
"An inch either side and we would have got a point."
The result leaves Haringey without an away win since August as they head to Corinthian Casuals on Saturday, their third of four games in ten days.
Loizou said: "Corinthians is a huge game. It's must win. We need to try that extra bit harder.
"We've got to find our feet and restart the season. We're going through a bad time at the moment."
