Christian Doidge: Mark Cooper says 'dive' accusation was 'tongue-in-cheek'
Last updated on .From the section Forest Green
Forest Green Rovers boss Mark Cooper has said his comments about Christian Doidge "diving" in Saturday's 1-0 loss at Swindon Town were "tongue-in-cheek".
When asked about penalty appeals involving the Rovers striker, Cooper had said: "I'm very angry with him."
On Thursday, he clarified to BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "I'm not allowed to stand there and criticise referees, for what were two blatant penalties.
"The easiest way around it for me was to be tongue-in-cheek."
Doidge, who has netted 17 times in 34 appearances in all competitions for the League Two strugglers so far this season, had two second-half appeals waved away after going down in the box at Swindon.
Asked to confirm that he had no issues with Rovers' top scorer, Cooper, 49, replied: "None whatsoever.
"I told Christian what I was going to do beforehand and we had a good laugh and a joke about it."
