SORE POINT Ref Stroud riles Baggies AND Forest

REFEREE Keith Stroud was trending on Twitter after a match packed with controversy – and he got it in the neck from both managers too.

Baggies boss Slaven Bilic was convinced his side were worth more than a point after being denied an injury-time winner by Callum Robinson – chalked off for an offside decision with Kyle Bartley lying across the goal line.

Counterpart Sabri Lamouchi was equally adamant Jake Livermore should have been sent off for a challenge on Yuri Ribeiro.

Bilic complained: “It was a really good game but I am angry and disappointed because we deserved to win.

“It was a completely good goal. Callum was onside and Bartley was in the goal, so how he could influence the ball I do not know.”

Lamouchi said: “To come back twice to equalise with this kind of scenario, with some wrong decisions, I’m proud of the performance, the mentality, personality and never giving up.

“I have a lot to complain about, but one-to-one with a beer. We play football, but not with the same rules as the Premier League.

“They play with VAR and without it you end this game with some tension. For me, the first foul against Yuri Ribeiro is a red card.”

Forest will though look at this as a point gained after twice coming from behind.

Robinson, on loan from Sheffield United, saw his opener cancelled out by a

Bartley own goal.

Another own goal, from

Tobias Figueiredo, put

Albion back in front before

Matty

Cash scored a stunning equaliser in added time at the end.

It is tempting to blame the weather when a match struggles to ignite, especially when the wind is swirling and the rain is teeming down. But that does not explain the needle, the late-to-very-late challenges, and the fraying tempers which led to so many talking points.

The first shot on target led to the first goal, by which time at least five minutes of injury time were on Stroud’s watch.

A contest crying out for something of a sporting nature delivered after Forest midfielder Samba Sow was caught in possession by Matheus Pereira, who fed Robinson. He looked up and carefully swept a right-foot shot past Brice Samba.

West Brom looked on course to make it four straight wins and consolidate their lead at the top of the Championship.

Instead, the niggly fouls and time spent on treatment provided enough time for Forest to equalise.

Sammy Ameobi’s cross was pure quality – and both striker Lewis Grabban and Bartley stretched to connect. Sadly for the Albion man, he got the decisive touch.

Figueiredo had the same fate from Livermore’s cross, but it came on the break after Ameobi was fouled at the other end – to the fury of Forest and their army of fans.

Already convinced the referee was giving them nothing, Forest then claimed a handball against Bartley after a run by Joe Lolley.

As the clock ticked into the 92nd minute, Cash crashed the ball past Sam Johnstone... and we were back where we started.