Red card double and spit storm in shame game
REFEREE Chris Kavanagh, back on duty after the treble red card flashpoint at Old Trafford, dished out another two in this explosive battle.
They were given to Nottingham Forest assistant boss Alan Tate and his Wolves counterpart Fabio
Sanz after a melee involving both benches as the game turned nasty both on and off the pitch.
Forest’s Brennan Johnson (below) was also back in the spotlight after withdrawing from the Wales squad for their European Championship games against Croatia and Latvia with a groin strain, which prompted some raised eyebrows.
Yesterday he scored, was booked for diving and appeared to be spat at by Daniel Podence – who snatched a point for Wolves with a late strike.
Forest boss Steve Cooper said: “I have seen it (the Podence incident) and spoken to Brennan but I’m not going to add any fuel to the fire. There are pictures and you must trust the authorities to deal with it.”
It was a Felipe challenge on Adama Traore in the penalty area, which went unpunished, that sparked a melee just after the break.
There was a flurry of punches between the two benches and Tate and Sanz were sent off by Kavanagh, who was in charge of that stormy Manchester United v Fulham
FA Cup game. Both Cooper and Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui were also told to calm down.
Cooper said: “I can’t deny what happened. But what I would say is there has been a lot of ill discipline on the Wolves bench since the change of manager.
‘‘We were ready for something to happen but the last thing we wanted was for things to boil over.”
Lopetegui said: “In these kind of matches there is big emotion. It’s important to keep the emotion but also the respect.
“I know what has happened and Forest know too, but I just want to highlight the football.
‘‘In high intensity situations we must take care and show respect.”
On the Podence incident he added: “I haven’t spoken to Daniel about it. Only when I have seen the match back I can answer the questions.”
Both clubs were fined in January following a heated Carabao Cup clash and could be summoned once again, while Podence could be facing a ban.
N FOREST: Navas 6, Williams 6, Felipe 7, Niakhate 6, Toffolo 6 (Lodi 60, 6), Freuler 6, Danilo 6 (Awoniyi 85, 5), Mangala 6 (Kouyate 85, 5), Gibbs-white 7, Dennis 6 (Worrall 66, 6), Johnson 7. WOLVES: Sa 6, Semedo 7, Dawson 6 (Bueno 65, 6), Kilman 7, Toti 6, Neves 7, Lemina 6 (Sarabia 46, 6), Traore 6 (Costa 65, 6), Moutinho 6 (Podence 46, 7), Nunes 6, Cunha 6 (Neto 81, 5).
MAN OF THE MATCH: MORGAN GIBBSWHITE – Brought some calm to this feisty affair with his midfield magic. REF: C Kavanagh 29,368