O’Neill fuming as Gayle dive denies Forest

MArTIn o’nEILL was left seething after nottingham Forest were denied victory by an 89th-minute penalty that should never have been.

referee Lee Mason fell for a dive by dwight Gayle that is likely to see the West Bromwich Albion forward punished retrospectively, as Jay rodriguez scored from the spot.

Gayle seemed to anticipate contact from Alexander Milosevic, but there was none. He fell to the floor regardless and Mason awarded the penalty. A two-game ban for ‘successful deception of a match official’ is possible.

Forest’ s angst was exacerbated after Joe Lolley was denied a spot-kick of his own when clearly tugged in the area by Kieran Gibbs in the closing stages.

o’neill said: ‘I’ve spoken to the referee. He has said if it was a mistake, it was an honest mistake. But Lolley’s was a penalty, so it’s a double disappointment.’

West Brom’s defence has been generous this season and more charity arrived in the sixth minute. Jack Colback benefitted from Craig dawson’s loose pass, played a one-two with Lewis Grabban, and picked out ryan Yates with a low cross.

While it seemed the young midfielder had tapped in, replays showed he mishit his shot and benefitted from a deflection off Stefan Johansen, so it was an own goal. nine minutes after the break, darren Moore’s team were level.

Forest failed to deal with Gayle’s cross, Mason Holgate powered a shot towards goal, rodriguez nudged the ball back, and Jacob Murphy arrived to stab home.

Forest retook the lead in the 65th minute. Jack robinson launched a flat long throw, Grabban chested the ball down and Yates swept the ball in off the post, but then came Gayle’s tumble.

‘We were lethargic,’ Moore said. ‘The positive was the way the players kept going.’