Rafa calls for more protection after controversial equaliser

MAGPIES FOCUS

Rafa Benitez demanded more protection for his players after Newcastle United conceded an agonising late goal at Molineux.

A controversial strike Willy Boly saw Wolverhampton Wanderers claim a point from a 1-1 draw last night.

Benitez felt that goalkeeper Martin Dubravka was fouled by Boly, who escaped a red card after elbowing Ayoze Perez in December’s meeting between the two sides at St James’s Park.

That game ended in a 2-1 defeat for Newcastle, who conceded a 94th minute goal.

Boly’s 95th-minute strike, from a deep Adama Traore cross, came five minutes into added time after fourth official Simon Hooper and held up a board showing that four more minutes were to be played at Molineux.

“You have to be really disappointed with the way we conceded in both games against this team,” said Benitez, United’s manager.

“In the first game there was an elbow in the face of my player, a penalty not given, then it was really disappointing to concede in this way against a good team.

“In England, they don’t understand the rules – you can say whatever you want to say.

“It was maybe a foul before too. You can say many things like the 94 minutes, but it will not change what happened. Like the first game, we couldn’t say too much and it didn’t change what happened.

“It doesn’t change anything, like the first game didn’t change anything when we had a player with a broken nose.

“The first game we had a player with a broken nose, we conceded in the last minute and we should have had a penalty and there should have been a red card, but nobody said anything.

“The situation is to protect the goalkeeper, so you’re supposed to protect the keeper. We have been here for years, and it’s very difficult to explain that.”

The result has left United one point above the Premier League’s relegation zone with 12 games left to play.

“I’m disappointed, and I was happy with the performance of the team,” said Benitez. “I’m happy with a lot of things and happy with the way we played.

“The disappointment is clear for everyone. Martin was talking about more protection, Jamaal (Lascelles) wassayingMartincoulddeal with the cross in another way. It was another bad way to concede.

“We played against a good team, we have one more point and it’s a pity. I knew we could cope quite well.

“The team, as a team, put in the effort. They have some players with the quality and it was a good display.”

Benitez and his players flew to Spain after the game for a five-day training camp and a friendly against CSKA Moscow on Saturday.

“We go to Spain now, try to train well and be together for the new players for the new team mates,” said Benitez.

Meanwhile, Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo hailed his team after they kept going and claimed a