Ismael enraged after Hawthorns mayhem
ThE final whistle sounded after 95 frantic minutes in the Black Country. it marked only the end of the beginning. From there, chaos broke out — two red cards, one manager storming the pitch and a flurry of handbags. All rather amusing if not particularly becoming. The spark? At the death of this draw, Conor Townsend fell under a challenge from Marlon Pack inside the area.
Valerien ismael burst down the touchline, leading the West Bromwich calls for a penalty, only for referee Thomas Bramall to say no — and then blow up.
ismael had to be held back from confronting the official; around him, scraps broke out between staff and players.
Cardiff defender Aden Flint and West Brom keeper sam Johnstone were at the centre of the melee. Both saw red. Eventually the pitch cleared, dust settled and attention could turn to a football match that had taken place.
This game sizzled, particularly after James Collins had headed Cardiff in front and again when Alex Mowatt earned the first sending off for a horrible challenge on Will Vaulks 14 minutes from time.
First, though, more on that lightning rod. ‘it’s a clear penalty, i can’t say anything else,’ ismael insisted. ‘At some point you need the luck that the referee does his job and tonight… in my opinion it was a poor refereeing performance.’
By then the West Brom boss had calmed down, having earlier made a beeline for Bramall. ‘i just wanted to tell him i couldn’t understand why he didn’t give the penalty,’ he explained. Cardiff manager steve Morison agreed it was a ‘stonewall’ spot-kick for the challenge on Townsend.
Yet he, too, felt ‘let down by decisions’ after Callum Robinson was not flagged offside before netting the equaliser shortly after half-time.
Certainly Morison didn’t share ismael’s overall assessment of the visitors’ display. ‘Cardiff didn’t want to play any football, just waste time,’ the Baggies boss claimed.
That was harsh. Yes, they were hanging on at times in the second half. But this was a match that showed why the Cardiff ship has steadied and why West Brom’s promotion push has stalled. in september, Albion won the reverse fixture 4-0 to move top of the Championship. This result leaves them only three points clear of seventhplace Middlesbrough.
it could have been worse had Cardiff built on their lead. Or the officials had judged Robinson offside. Or the visitors had capitalised on Mowatt’s red card. By then, though, Morison’s side were probably grateful for a point that edges them further away from danger.
By then, West Brom had long been banging on the door — Kyle Bartley, Karlan Grant and Grady Diangana all went close.
The visitors looked to have weathered the worst of the storm even before Mowatt was sent off. Alas, that proved a mere appetiser for the madness to come.
‘The result is not enough, it’s clear,’ ismael conceded. ‘Another difficult afternoon.’ his side were booed off at the break. Come ‘extra time’ after full time, however, Baggies ire was directed elsewhere.