Dermot Gallagher, a former Premier League referee, doesn’t think Bristol City should have been given a penalty in the final seconds of their match against Huddersfield Town. Nahki Wells’ goal in the 101st minute gave the Robins a 1-1 draw.
Ollie Turton was called for handling Cam Pring’s cross deep into injury time; the Terriers defender slid across to block the intended ball into the six-yard box, and it appeared to clip his elbow, which was mostly by the side of his body. Match official Rebecca Welch then pointed to the spot.
Co-commentator Louis Carey, a former captain of City, called the decision harsh, and Huddersfield head coach Andre Breitenreiter approached Welch for an explanation following the final whistle.
According to the IFAB (International Football Association Board), the handball laws and the section pertaining to this incident specify that it is illegal for a player to touch the ball with their hand or arm when it has caused their body to swell unnaturally.
“When a player’s hand or arm position is not a result of, or justified by, their body movement for that particular situation, the player is deemed to have made their body unnaturally bigger.” The player runs the risk of being penalised if the ball hits their hand or arm while they are in this position.
The 15-year Premier League referee Gallagher called the call a “misjudgement” on Welch’s part, presumably because Turton wasn’t making his body unnaturally bigger or because his arm position was justified because he was practically falling to the ground. Gallagher made this claim while speaking on Sky Sports News.
Gallagher stated, “I just don’t think it’s handball; I think it’s just a misjudgement.” “I don’t think the referee makes the best decisions, but she does have the best view. He backs off; if it hits him, it hits him, but it’s low and strikes his arms into his body; it’s not a penalty for me.
Huddersfield was devastated by the outcome because a win would have lifted them out of the bottom three with three games left. On the other hand, for City, it meant that they would now have five games unbeaten before travelling to Norwich City on Saturday.
Although head coach Liam Manning acknowledged he had not yet seen a replay of the incident, the City camp as a whole agreed that it was a penalty.
It was really hard for me to see, according to Manning. Of course, that’s where it is, and I haven’t watched it again. Pringy agreed with him that it was.
We’ve been through a lot of late goals, especially at this point in the season, from Millwall and Norwich. I sympathise with them and know how difficult it is for them.
“I have to give Rebecca a lot of credit for her bravery if she believed it to be a penalty because it’s very easy not to.” Give her credit for giving it if she truly saw and felt it was, as she would have done.
Along with being the second most in the division behind Leeds and Sunderland, Wells’ goal was also City’s sixth from a penalty this season. Only Leicester City has scored more goals with twelve.
Leave a Reply