HULL SLAM FORESTIERI FOR DIVING

HULL midfielder Robert Snodgrass says he would rather not win today’s Championship play-off final if it meant ‘cheating’ like Sheffield Wednesday’s Fernando Forestieri. The Owls striker was sent off twice in six days in February for diving offences. The second of those dismissals — during a goalless draw at Hull — infuriated Snodgrass and the Scotland international (below) believes referee Bobby Madley will have to keep an eye on the Italian’s simulation at Wembley this afternoon. ‘I would have sent him off in the first half that night, he dived four times. I thought he was terrible for the whole game,’ Snodgrass said. ‘It’s a contact sport but you don’t want somebody cheating. It’s cheating the referee. The referee has a hard enough job as it is. ‘The referees are not stupid. You are trying to con them. They’re probably saying, “It’s hard enough as it is, so I don’t need you diving”. ‘I think they will need to (watch him), especially if that’s his reputation and he’s been sent off a few times for it. ‘It’s not good for the game. Especially for people going there to watch a good Yorkshire derby — they don’t want to see it. ‘I wouldn’t like to win at Wembley by cheating. I think there are a lot better ways and more respectable ways to help your team-mates than that.’ Forestieri — who has 15 goals this season — recently defended himself against those who have branded him a diver. ‘You know, when you are running fast, only a little contact can take you down,’ he said. ‘Not every fall is from the swimming pool, but now I have every nickname. ‘They call me a cheat, a diver, everything. But if fans want to see harder contact, they need to go and watch rugby. ‘It is true players need to help referees, but sometimes players need more protection. When I got both red cards, I did not imagine the fouls.’