Austin blasts ref a ‘joke’ as Saints stumble again
SOUTHAMPTON thought they had this one wrapped up. In the 66th minute, Charlie Austin swept home a strike from the edge of the penalty area and it appeared that Mark Hughes’s side had overcome a torrid run of form by recapturing that winning feeling.
Austin sped towards the dugout, where he embraced substitute Jack Stephens and was mobbed by his team-mates. The celebrations lasted just short of a minute and they were rapturous.
And then everybody turned around. They turned around to see referee Simon Hooper with his arm raised and pointing for an indirect free-kick. The precious second goal would not stand. What? How?
It had appeared innocent enough, as Nathan Redmond shuffled the ball across to Austin, who finished confidently. Yet replays showed Maya Yoshida standing just outside of the six-yard box.
Perhaps the officials decided the Japanese defender was stood in the eyeline of Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster and interfering with play? Nope. Foster had not appealed. Instead, the referee explained to players that Yoshida had touched the ball. Yet he had not.
And at what cost comes this optical illusion? Certainly two points, as Watford cancelled out Ma no lo Gab bi ad in i’ s opener through a deflected Jose Holebas strike 16 minutes later.
Austin was furious. ‘It’s ridiculous, they shouldn’t be in the game,’ he said. ‘ The officials cost us two points. They said it was offside — that is a joke. I’m angry, we should have won 2-0. People go on about VAR, they clearly need help. If this is the best, most-watched league in the world then give them all the help they need. It’s a joke.
‘Sure, there are many positives; we worked hard, we deserved three points — and we would have got that had we not been let down by the official.’
As for Hughes, the consequences may be damaging. He spun in the dugout and slashed his hand against his thigh as Watford equalised.
‘It’s a match-defining moment,’ said Hughes, criticising Hooper, who was making only his fourth Premier League a ppearance. ‘We’ve been given an inexperienced referee. Our game is j ust as significant to us as the Manchester derby to those clubs. But would they have given him that game? Absolutely not. VAR needs to come in. All major sports have video reviews but the Premier League is still in the dark ages.’
Hughes did concede that Watford had refereeing frustration of their own, as Hooper also missed Ryan Bertrand mistiming a lunge on Nathaniel Chalobah with the score at 1-0. Bertrand had his head in the ground and a penalty — and a second yellow card for the Southampton captain — seemed inevitable. Instead, Hoop er confounded reason and expectations once more. Hughes said: ‘It looked a penalty and they got that wrong as well. Maybe that backs up my argument.’
Watford manager Javi Gracia added: ‘Chalobah told me it was clear, then maybe it changes the game from that moment. I prefer to support the referees’ decisions and I accept the decision.’
Hughes’s less understanding response underlined a fraught week in which both Southampton vice chairman Les Reed and technical director Derek Hunter were relieved of their duties.
The statistics do not aid his cause. Southampton have won only five of 28 matches since he took over towards the end of last season. This was an eighth consecutive match without a win.
The spotlight now shines more brightly on Hughes.