Rob Edwards was once again preparing to contact the PGMOL over further refereeing calls going against Middlesbrough in the stalemate at Leicester City.
Primarily, the choice to award a penalty for handball against Hayden Hackney has been heavily contested, with replays indicating the ball was outside the area when it struck the Boro player’s arm. It followed a moment of panic from the Boro midfielder as the ball bounced awkwardly in front of him.
Watching the incident back while covering the game for Sky Sports’ Soccer Special show, pundit Courtney Sweetman-Kirk said: “It’s really weird. It’s like a FIFA glitch! His feet don’t move and then he moves his arm towards it. That’s the point when you’re playing FIFA that you’re throwing the controller at the telly!
“Ayew dispatches the penalty. It’s difficult. I’m the first one to criticise referees, but I think in that moment, and the quick decision they’ve got, I don’t think it’s the worst decision in the world. If it went to VAR I think it would probably change, but obviously we’ve not got that in the EFL.”
Edwards, on the other hand, was questioned about the matter afterward, and told BBC Tees Sport that he would again be making a call to Kevin Friend, who oversees Championship officials for the PGMOL. It comes after a comparable call following the victory over Sheffield Wednesday when Tommy Conway was refused a definite penalty.
Edwards told Tees: “It could have cost us, and so could Fatawu’s challenge on Tiggs. He’d been booked already. Tiggs is in there having stitches now. It’s a yellow card and that means they should be down to ten as well. The ref’s looking right at it.
“I don’t know why, but at the moment there are some really big decisions going against and potentially stopping us securing two more points tonight. I’ll speak to Kevin Friend again. I’ve got to defend the club. I’m really not pleased with some of the decisions that are going against us.”