Wagner’s fury as spot kick is over-turned
FULL-BLOODED, controversial and severely lacking in quality.
This had all the hallmarks of a typical Championship game and next season it probably will be.
Though Huddersfield ended a nine-game losing run and a point was enough for Cardiff to crawl out of the bottom three, it was a result neither really wanted.
The real drama occurred after 77 minutes with that rarest of occurrences — a referee changing his mind over a penalty award.
Lee Mason had no hesitation in theatrically pointing to the spot when he saw Cardiff’s Joe Bennett bring down Florent Hadergjonaj as they chased a loose ball.
After protests, the official consulted his assistant and performed his unusual u-turn.
Presumably the linesman told Mr Mason about an earlier shove by Hadergjonaj on Bennett or that their coming together was an innocent tangle of legs.
To add to the confusion, Cardiff were awarded an uncontested drop ball.
An upset David Wagner said: ‘I know they have a very difficult job but sometimes they make it much more complicated and it’s cost us.
‘The whole situation makes no sense. I have no clue what was in their head. Six weeks ago our negative run started with one of the worst days of Michael Oliver. It shows how important they are.
‘I said to my players you have to stand up and leave nothing on the grass but they have no responsibility for decisions like this.’
Neil Warnock applauded Mr Mason’s bravery: ‘It was a good job we had an experienced linesman, I think. There was not enough contact for a penalty and you could say justice was done.
‘We’ve looked at it from five angles and four show it was not a penalty. I don’t think there was enough of a push. I think the linesman saw it from a better angle.
‘We had a penalty shout on Junior Hoilett in the first half that was 10 times worse. The defender doesn’t see him coming.’
Wagner was ashen-faced. With only 13 goals in 22 games, Huddersfield can’t score in open play so being denied a godsend like a penalty was too much.
The visitors bossed possession with Crystal Palace loanee Jason Puncheon impressing on his Terriers debut, but they still didn’t test Cardiff keeper Neil Etheridge until a speculative effort in injury time from substitute Laurent Depoitre.
Both sides were favourites for relegation so it’s no surprise to see them at the wrong end of the table, in Huddersfield’s case rock bottom.
Neither looked capable of scoring. Huddersfield often had nobody in the opposition area while Cardiff were over-reliant
on wingers Hoilett and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing for counter-attacks.
Their best moment came after 15 minutes when Mendez-Laing brilliantly turned Erik Durm and fired in a low curved cross.
Hadergjonaj and Hoilett sprinted to the ball and fell in a heap, Cardiff protesting that their man had been caught. Replays were inconclusive but Mr Mason rejected the appeal, to Warnock’s
disgust. Huddersfield pressed in the second half but Alex Pritchard picked the wrong pass when Cardiff were down to 10 men, Victor Camarasa having treatment.
Some of Cardiff’s defending was excellent as well, particularly a tackle by Mendez-Laing when Pritchard had played in Durm.
The key incident started when Huddersfield skipper Jonathan Hogg sprayed a pass out to the left which Bennett intercepted with a header that fell short of Etheridge, leaving the Cardiff defender to sprint with Hadergjonaj, both falling to the ground.
The draw left Huddersfield still eight points behind Cardiff.
CARDIFF (4-2-3-1): Etheridge 6; Manga 6, Morrison 7, Bamba 6.5, Bennett 6; Gunnarsson 6.5, Arter 6; Hoilett 5.5, Camarasa 6 (Ralls 64min, 6), Mendez-Laing 8 (Healey 74, 6); Paterson 5.5. Booked: Arter, Hoilett, Bennett. Subs (not used): Smithies, Peltier, Murphy, Decordova-Reid, Cunningham. HUDDERSFIELD (4-1-4-1): Lossl 6.5; Hadergjonaj 6, Jorgensen 6.5, Schindler 6, Durm 6; Hogg 7; Kachunga 7, Puncheon 7, Pritchard 6 (Mbenza 72, 6), Billing 6; Mounie 6 (Depoitre 87). Booked: Schindler. Subs (not used): Hame, Smith, Kongolo, Lowe, Stankovic. Referee: L Mason (Lancashire) 7.