PULIS LEFT BEMUSED BY PENALTY DECISION
MIDDLESBROUGH 0 FULHAM 1: REFEREES NEED TO EXPLAIN THEIR DECISIONS, SAYS BORO BOSS
VAR (video assistant referee) may be creeping into the higher echelons of English football, but Tony Pulis still believes referees should be allowed to explain their decisions after the full-time whistle,
The Middlesbrough manager was left disappointed at the consistency of official Geoff Eltringham following Boro’s 1-0 Championship defeat to Fulham at the Riverside on Saturday.
Eltringham awarded the visitors a last-minute penalty when Oliver Norwood went down under the slightest of challenges fromGrant Leadbitter, and the Fulham midfielder duly converted from the spot.
But Pulis was more upset about an earlier penalty decision which went against Boro striker Martin Braithwaite, which he thought was a “stone-waller”.
“The big thing with managers is we understand and recognise that referees are going to make mistakes, but when mistakes effect the football match then they should be called into question,” said Pulis.
“I’m not sure who is in charge of referees in the Championship but you’d love to ask the referee why he didn’t give that as a penalty.”
“It is a really disappointing decision. We understand and recognise referees will make mistakes but when they affect matches they should be called into question.
On Fulham’s penalty, he added: “The player falls before Grant touches him. The big thing in the game nowadays is when legs tend to buckle without any challenge being made, which is difficult for referees to get right.”
Pulis didn’t hide the fact that his team should have been out of sight by that stage, as Boro missed several good opportunities before being hit by the late sucker punch.
Rudy Gestede wasted a couple of gilt-edged chances before half-time, while Braithwaite missed the target from inside the area after the break.
Then, just seconds before the penalty was awarded, substitute Britt Assombalonga looped an effort onto the crossbar.
“I’m disappointed because I thought that we were the better team, especially in the first half when we had three or four chances and Fulham didn’t do anything to hurt us. We were the dominant force,” said Pulis.
“Our players missed chances that you’d expect them to put away, so it’s not all down to the referee.”
Encouragingly for Pulis, the side, which he only inherited on Boxing Day, is starting to take shape under his tutelage, looking well organised out of possession.
Boro remain two points shy of the play-offs.