Southern Portishead ace Murray aiming ‘to make up’ for Didcot red card

Jay Murray has spelt out a determination to atone for his Christmas misdemeanour by “hitting the ground running” on his return to New Year action.

- Simon PARKINSON

The talented attacking midfielder received a straight red card for dissent as he was substituted in the second half of Posset’s 4-0 December 13 away romp at Didcot Town.

It means Murray, sidelined already through suspension as a consequence for his high-flying team's 2-1 home defeat by Mousehole last Saturday, faces a second and final game ban tomorrow, as Kye Mountford’s men travel to west Devon to take on a rock-bottom Tavistock team in need of points for quite different reasons (3pm).

The 24-year-old son of legendary Bristol City winger Scott Murray said of that fateful moment at Didcot: “I'd been substituted off and was about five yards away from leaving the pitch when the linesman urged me to hurry up.

“We as players and management on the side were speaking among ourselves, and the referee was told by the same linesman that I'd been muttering something untoward about the officials.

“I've wondered if the fact the officials were being assessed had something to do with it, as there were 14 cards in all awarded throughout the game and it wasn’t a horrible one, just sometimes a bit feisty. We all felt some of the decisions were unfair, something even Didcot’s people agreed with.

“Yes, I can be quite hotheaded in a way I'm not off the pitch. I guess I can understand why I was sent off, but it was a bit harsh because I wasn’t targeting, or speaking directly to, any particular official. It’s been frustrating and I'll hopefully learn from it. I need to be a bit smarter in future in such circumstances.