Clark calling for review plan
BIRMINGHAM boss Lee Clark is calling for the Football League to introduce a review system after once again feeling hard done by at the final whistle.
The Blues had a first-half equaliser ruled out for offside after Clayton Donaldson poked Koby Arthur’s shot over the goal line from a yard out.
Referee Paul Tierney deemed the forward to be beyond Charlton goalkeeper Stephen Henderson, though Clark said that replays proved differently.
Igor Vetokele had put Charlton in front before David Davis drilled home a deserved equaliser, his first goal in almost three years, and Clark was left frustrated by the officials’ decision.
“It is major decisions that could be looked at,” he said. “You cannot have challenges for fouls, throws-ins and corners but major ones like penalties and potential red cards. We drew 2-2 at Norwich and after the game I was told that we should’ve had a penalty and their lad sent off.
“Not that I’m backing players getting sent off, it’s double jeopardy, but they are the laws of the game.
“We had a legitimate goal taken off here and I have seen the footage. It’s not offside.
“I spoke to the referee, and the defender who was with Paul Caddis was over the line, so he is playing Clayton onside, and so is the goalkeeper.
“We didn’t start well but after the first goal there was only one team in it. We kept possession well and stopped Charlton from creating chances.”
Charlton’s Vetokele curled just wide on three minutes after latching on to Jordan Cousins’ through ball and cutting inside Jonathan Grounds.
And the Addicks went in front on 11 minutes when Frederic Bulot picked out an unmarked Vetokele and the striker powered a header home from six yards.
Donaldson failed to capitalise on a clear sight of goal on 20 minutes after Arthur had robbed the dallying Yoni Buyens of possession in the Charlton half.
Donaldson then deprived the Blues of their equaliser on 34 minutes when he was penalised for tapping in Arthur’s net-bound shot at the far post.
Lawrie Wilson turned Vetokele’s low cross over the bar 22 seconds after the restart and, at the other end, Henderson made a low stop from Paul Robinson’s header.
Birmingham levelled nine minutes after the break when Stephen Gleeson shifted a short corner to Davis and the midfielder drilled in from 12 yards.
Wes Thomas burst through ten minutes from time but, having narrowed his angle, he slipped and scuffed wide for the visitors.
As the clock struck 90, Cousins landed awkwardly following an aerial challenge and was carried off the field in a neck brace to applause from both sets of players.
Addicks head coach Bob Peeters said that his midfielder should be fine and admitted that they did not do enough to warrant all three points.
“Overall, the quality was not good enough to win the game,” Peeters said. “We tried to create chances and we did for 15 or 20 minutes and then we started to give the game away.
“At half-time we adjusted it, had the first chance and then again the quality was not enough.
“Both teams pushed to try and win the game after the equaliser but a draw was a fair result.”