MOWBRAY FUMES AT ‘SOFT’ PENALTY
Grabban spot-kick levels it
TONY Mowbray criticised the referee for awarding a “soft” penalty against his Blackburn side which gave Nottingham Forest an equaliser in an entertaining game at Ewood Park.
In an encounter packed full of chances, Lewis Grabban missed a first-half penalty, but headed his side into the lead in the second half, scoring for the third successive game.
Rovers, who dominated for large spells, bounced back with a stirring fightback that saw Adam Armstrong notch his first league goal of the season with a cross-cum-shot, and Bradley Dack tap in to turn the game on its head.
However, the drama wasn’t over as Grabban atoned for his earlier miss by levelling with a well-taken spot-kick 10 minutes from time.
Mowbray was scathing about the decison by referee Andrew Madley.
“Let’s be honest, the referee had a really difficult game right from the start,” said Mowbray. “He bamboozled both sets of fans, both benches with some of his decisions.
“It was a really, really soft penalty and if that was a penalty, why on earth wasn’t Dack’s a penalty? He was manhandled to the ground.
“These are the days I believe referees should be accountable and tell us honestly what they saw and what they thought.”
Grabban’s first taste of the action came in the ninth minute, when Darragh Lenihan conceded a penalty for grappling with Michael Hefele. The striker’s effort crashed against the bar and over.
The hosts responded with a lovely move that saw Dack cross for Danny Graham, whose controlled volley was parried behind.
Jack Colback then saved a certain goal with a stunning diving header to deny Graham.
The hosts continued their dominance of the first half, with a superb effort from Dack that cannoned off the crossbar.
Forest took full advantage of that good fortune with a swift counter-attack that saw Joe Lolley’s cross cushioned by Joao Carvalho into Grabban’s path and he comfortably buried a close-range header.
But Rovers weren’t behind for long and Armstrong equalised 13 minutes later.
Rovers went in the front 16 minutes from time when Graham raced to the touchline and laid the ball back on a plate for Dack to tap in his seventh of the season.
However, Jack Rodwell’s foul on Lolley gave Grabban a shot at redemption in the 80th minute and he took it with his fourth of the season.
Forest’s three-game winning run was ended and it means the club still haven’t won on the road since February.
However, Aitor Karanka described it as a “good point” and the manager had no doubts over the character of Grabban, who put his earlier penalty miss aside to salvage a draw.
He said: “When you sign a player, you know his character. You know a player that has scored almost 20 goals every year, is a strong character. For sure, he (Grabban) will have other tests and he will score more goals.”