Handball

Just wondering whether anyone thinks there was any difference between Hudson's 'handballs' at Middlesbrough which was presumably deemed ball to hand and went unpunished and the one at Barnsley which led to their last minute winner?

In my opinion both were unintentional and should have gone unpunished but it is my belief the one at Barnsley was given because it was 'outside' the box and an easier decision for the referee to give.

Is that a fair reflection and if so does it highlight the poor refereeing standards?

I agree with you there, both seemed similar, but as you said, the ref felt more inclined to give it as it was outside the box. You see it with other incidents aswell, such as when players barge someone else off the ball, 9 times out of 10 it is given a free kick on the halfway line etc, yet in the penalty area the ref waves it away. I don't mind that, as I don't think it should be a free kick/penalty anyway for using strength, just highlighting how it happens elsewhere on the pitch aswell.

They were both subjective. Some referees would give them and some wouldn't. It's all worked out in the end. We got away with one, we got punished for one. That's the footballing case of swings and roundabouts.