JIM Gannon had no complaints after 10-man Stockport County lost at home to Bury.
New Bury loan signing Efe Sodje, who made his name at Macclesfield Town, marked his debut by changing the course of the derby at Edgeley Park.
Three minutes from the break with County leading 1-0, the 35-year-old Nigerian international sneaked up from behind Conrad Logan as he was rolling the ball out dispossessed him and would have scored but for the Stockport keeper pulling at his shirt.
Logan's subsequent red card left County with a makeshift keeper in striker Adam Proudlock for the entire secondhalf and led to Bury's second away win on the trot.
Gannon had no complaints at the sending-off, which effectively ended his side's nine-game unbeaten run.
"It was a clear goalscoring opportunity and the referee felt he impeded him," said a philosophical Gannon, who is now searching for another loan keeper for tomorrow night's home game against Mansfield.
"They were two bad mistakes from Conrad. One dropping the ball and then secondly hauling him back.
"He might as well let the lad score. It then stays at 11 v 11 and 1-1.
"It's a harsh punishment but that's the rules of the game.
"It's disappointing because the rest of the lads had put so much effort in and they were let down by individual errors."
It wasn't a happy afternoon for either keeper with Bury's Darren Randolph palming Michael Rose's corner into his own net in the 21st minute.
Volleyed
Some good defending had kept Proudlock well protected in the second-half until Paul Scott was given a free header for the Bury equaliser from Brian Barry-Murphy's corner in the 71st minute.
Eight minutes later Nicky Adams volleyed home the winner after a poor clearance by sub Jamie Smith went straight to him.
Shakers boss Alan Knill was delighted at having secured his second victory in charge.
"That was a tight game," he said. "I think Stockport County are one of the best teams in this league.
"It's the fourth time I've played them this season, I've won one, lost one and drawn two so we are pretty equal.
"They are a good team, but so are we or we are starting to believe that we can be.
"Seven points in four games just adds to that belief.
"You see many times that a team goes down to ten men and it becomes more difficult, it galvanizes their team so the idea is to be patient and move the ball around.
"Hopefully, we move it a lot quicker than we did today if it ever happens again because we were a bit pedestrian in possession, but you just have to be patient."
After the game Sodje admitted he had sympathy with Logan.
"You see strikers do things like that," he said.
"I was behind the keeper and the fans were making a lot of noise so he couldn't hear anything.
"As soon as he flicked it I went for it and outside the box he pulled me down and stopped me from scoring.
"If I had been able to score he may have got a yellow card, but the referee had no choice.
"I feel sorry for the keeper because he had made some great saves.
"That was my first 90 minutes in nine weeks.
"After 65 minutes I am dead. I asked the manager to take me off, but he wasn't looking at me so I had to carry on."
What do you think? Have your say.
Sodje's law for Gannon
February 18, 2008
