Gayle ‘dive’ set to lead to an FA ban

ALBION striker Dwight Gayle has been charged with ‘successful deception of a match official’ by the Football Association.

The charge relates to an incident which saw Gayle win a late penalty in Albion’s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday evening.

Gayle, who is on loan at Albion from Newcastle United, has until 6pm on Thursday to respond to the FA’s charge and could be handed a two-game ban if he accepts it.

That would see him miss Albion’s matches against Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers.

And Don Goodman claimed Gayle ‘deceived the referee’, appearing to leap over Forest defender Alexander Milosevic and contact seemed minimal.

Asked if the striker dived for the penalty, Goodman, the former Wolves and Albion striker, said: “Yes, I don’t think there is any doubt about it. He has deceived the referee and I don’t know whether he will get a ban. He may argue there has been minimal contact but you can barely see it and it’s minimal.

“Lee Mason has bought it and West Bromwich Albion have a point they really don’t deserve, to be honest.”

The full FA rule states: “Where there is clear and overwhelming evidence to suggest a match official has been deceived by an act of simulation, and as a direct result, the offending player’s team has been awarded a penalty and/or a player has been dismissed, the FA will be able to act retrospectively under its Fast Track system.’’

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