HOLLOWAY LEFT FUMING AT PENALTY
IAN HOLLOWAY insisted he had never been so devastated by a refereeing decision after his Millwall side went down to a David Lopez penalty at home to Brighton.
Jesse Lingard, on his Brighton debut after signing on loan from Manchester United, won the controversial spot kick just before the break and Millwall could not hit back.
Jermaine Easter came closest in the second half when he hit the bar, but it is now just three points from the last available 21 for the Lions.
But despite being infuriated by the decision, Holloway does not believe that his protests will land him in trouble.
“I don’t think they (the FA) can fine me because I promised my wife I won’t ever get fined again,” said the MIllwall boss.
“The last time I got fined was on the opening day of the season at Palace when Dean Moxey had a penalty given against him – and this was much worse.
“That cost me a fortune and this was twice as bad, if not four times as that.
“We should have not invited Lingard into the space. Danny Shittu chased him and I thought it was going to be a goal-kick.
“If you see the contact it is shoulder-to-shoulder, if anything.
“I can’t say that there wasn’t enough to send him down because Danny is built like a proverbial.
“I have watched it five or six times, and in fairness their movement was very good.
“But we haven’t got anything like the result we deserved. The performance was good and we should have a point.
“A referee should walk into this ground and be ready to be fair to both teams, but I don’t think he was biased. It was a mistake.”
The controversial incident occurred on 37 minutes when Lingard tumbled under minimal contact from Shittu.
Referee Geoff Eltringham gave himself a brief moment to make his decision and then pointed to the penalty spot. David Lopez made no mistake with the kick – sending David Forde the wrong way.
On the stroke of half-time the visitors should have doubled their lead when Leonardo Ulloa crossed for Lingard, but Ryan Fredericks did brilliantly to deny the loanee.
Easter rattled the crossbar for Millwall on 52 minutes when he picked up possession inside the six-yard box, and as the clock stuck 90 Owen Garvan, borrowed from Crystal Palace just 24 hours earlier, whizzed a shot just over.
The victory was Brighton’s first away from home in the league since December, and assistant manager Nathan Jones is now eyeing the play-off positions.
“We would like to be in that top six but it is very tight,” said Albion’s number two. “We have had a lot of games to contend with.
“The FA Cup was a nice distraction but it is an important time now. We have got a lot of big games coming up.
“It was important that we got three points here – however we got them.
“We ground out the victory and it was a very difficult game. We showed our resilience and top teams have to show that.
“It was difficult game. The penalty could have gone either way, I think. Danny Shittu leaned on Jesse inside the box and he is a very strong lad.
“These things even themselves out. We have had stonewall penalty appeals turned down, but maybe we got a bit of luck this time around perhaps.
“We have got some top players who all defend well for us. We are pleased because it wasn’t fluent or pretty, and not one for the purist. We are very happy with the three points.”