Brentford Manager Mark Warburton said the decision from referee Eddie Ilderton to award his team a penalty in their Sky Bet League One game against Sheffield United and then change his mind was “bizarre”.
The Bees drew 0-0 at Bramall Lane last night but the match – and what Mark described as a “very, very good” Brentford performance – was overshadowed by an incident late in the first half.
Marcello Trotta got away from the home defence in the inside right channel and burst in to the penalty area.
Kieron Freeman lunged in with a tackle as the striker prepared to pull the trigger and the Brentford man went down.
Mr Ilderton, who was well-placed to see if the defender had played the striker before he got a clear foot on the ball, pointed for a penalty and sent the Sheffield United man off.
He then spoke to assistant referee Mark Dwyer and changed his mind, recalled the defender, now in the mouth of the tunnel, and gave a drop ball.
Mark said his initial reaction was that it was a good tackle and he had not watched it back.
He pointed out his side should have had a spot kick soon after when an Alan Judge shot was handled but stressed how strange the key decision was.
“I have never seen that before in my life,” said Mark, speaking after the match.
“The obvious thing to do is to go and speak to your colleagues and then make a decision.
“The referee has brandished a red card, pointed to the penalty spot and suddenly we have a drop ball.
“It was bizarre.
“I have never seen anything like it.
“I haven’t seen the incident again.
“The red card is brandished and he has pointed to the penalty spot.
“The one soon after, when Alan Judge’s shot was handled, was a penalty.
“My first impression of the one that was given was that it was a good tackle.
“The other one was a pen.
“But once you brandish a red card and point to the spot, suddenly our players are facing a drop ball.
“I find it bizarre.”
Mark praised his team for their performance in the draw.
He said his side were positive from the start, disappointed not to be in front at half time and then dominated after the break.
He said his players were “excellent”.
“I thought we were very, very good tonight,” said Mark.
“We started the game brightly, on the front foot.
“I think they were shocked by our tempo and intensity of our play.
“We moved it really well and there were some excellent performances.
“I am delighted with the midfield, Toumani Diagouraga and Adam Forshaw attacking wise with Jonathan Douglas strong and resolute behind them.
“We got on the ball and played.
“The back four were strong; the forward line did really well.
“I am really pleased with that.
“We came in at half time disappointed we weren’t up.
“For the first half hour of the second half we completely bossed it.
“We camped in their half and looked like the home team.
“I was really pleased with the performance.
“They had a couple of chances – one in the first half when James Tarkowski made a great tackle at the far post.
“Any neutral watching the game would have seen it would have been a travesty if we had lost that game.
“The key message was for us to play on the front foot, play positively.
“From the first whistle, they were excellent.”
Mark said his players were “devastated” not to win the match.
He added he started with Clayton Donaldson on the left as he had played the same role at Bramall Lane last year to good effect.
“The key for us is to be more clinical and decisive in our decision making,” said Mark.
“We want to play forward, get on the half turn, split the units.
“I thought we did that today.
“We looked a positive team.
“The boys are devastated at dropping two points.
“We have come to Bramall Lane and are devastated at drawing.
“That tells you a lot.
“Clayton started on the left as he did that here last season; it gives him the option to drive inside.
“We had the option to mix it up with long kicking from David Button and we did that well.
“Clayton enjoyed it on the left and had the freedom to go right.”
Toumani Diagouraga started in midfield for the first time since early December and Mark said the results of a recent loan spell at Portsmouth were clear to see.
He added George Saville, who had missed the last two games, was now fit and he came on for the last period of the game to add energy.
“The idea of Toumani going out on loan was to get the game time he needed,” said Mark.
“He did really well at Portsmouth and you saw the end result tonight.
“George Saville has been an important player for us this season and he has had a niggling injury.
“He trained well yesterday and came on today.
“Toumani was doing well, he worked his socks off and I made the change to add more energy.”
The point leaves Brentford second in League One.
They are five points ahead of Leyton Orient, who are third, and still have a game in hand on the East London side.
The Bees have two home games coming up, against Notts County and Crawley Town.
“There will be twists and turns,” said Mark.
“If we focus on what Brentford do, we will be OK.
“Every game is important.
“Tonight was a game in hand; we got a point when we should have taken three.
“We have another point and we look forward to the weekend.”
Bees Player subscribers can see full post-match reaction from Mark Warburton here.