Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher doesn’t believe Bristol City should have been awarded a penalty in the dying moments of their clash against Huddersfield Town, as Nahki Wells scored in the 101st minute to earn the Robins a 1-1 draw.
Match official Rebecca Welch pointed to the spot after Ollie Turton was ruled to have handled Cam Pring’s cross deep into injury time, with the Terriers defender sliding across to block the intended ball into the six-yard box with it then appearing to clip his elbow, which was largely by the side of his body.
Speaking on Robins TV as co-commentator, former City captain Louis Carey declared the decision a harsh one while Huddersfield head coach Andre Breitenreiter sought Welch out after the final whistle for an explanation.
The handball laws, and the section related to this incident, as per the IFAB (International Football Association Board), state: “It is an offence if a player touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger.
"A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation. By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalised.”
Speaking on Sky Sports News, Gallagher, a Premier League referee for 15 years, branded the decision a “misjudgement” on the part of Welch presumably because Turton either didn’t make his body unnaturally bigger or his arm position was justifiable by the fact he was effectively falling to the ground.
“I just don’t think it’s handball, I think it’s just a misjudgement,” Gallagher said. “The referee’s got the best view but unfortunately I don’t think she makes the best decision. He turns away, if it strikes him, it strikes him, but it’s low, arms into the body - not a penalty for me.”
The result was a devastating one for Huddersfield given victory would have taken them out of the bottom three with three matches remaining, but from City’s perspective it extended their unbeaten run to five matches ahead of Saturday’s trip to Norwich City.
Consensus within the City camp was that it was a penalty, although in the immediate aftermath of the game head coach Liam Manning admitted he was yet to see a replay of the incident.
“For me, it was really difficult to see,” Manning said. “Obviously where it is and I haven’t watched it back yet. Pringy thought it was, speaking with him.
“It’s one of those, I commiserate and it’s tough for them, we’ve been on the end of Millwall conceding late, Norwich conceding late, especially at this stage of the season.
“If Rebecca thought it was a penalty, I have to give her a huge amount of credit for being brave because it’s quite easy not to give it. If she really genuinely saw it, and felt it was, which she would have done, then credit to her for giving it.”
The goal Wells scored was also City’s sixth from a penalty this season, the second most in the division alongside Leeds and Sunderland, as only Leicester City having scored more with 12.
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