EX PL REF: LATE PRESTON PENALTY NAILED ON

Ex-Premier League referee Keith Hackett:

"There are no excuses for howler as Nelson footage emerges from Cardiff"

Preston North End should have been awarded a late penalty in their 2-1 defeat to Cardiff City on Sunday (9 January), according to Keith Hackett.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted there were no excuses as Andy Woolmer missed a handball by Cardiff’s Curtis Nelson at the end of extra time.

Preston floated a cross in and Nelson went to challenge a header with Ched Evans before appearing to handle the ball.

Referee Andy Woolmer awarded Cardiff City a free-kick for an apparent push in the back from Evans.

“That is handball every day,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.

“Is it because there are no fans in the stadium that he’s lost a bit of concentration, or, it might be fatigue because they were in extra time.

“It wasn’t a foul the other way. It was a penalty.

“We talk about physical fatigue but there is also mental fatigue. He got it wrong, it was a penalty kick.

“I’m not giving him any excuses, it’s a nonsense. It’s a clear handball. He’s made himself bigger, the referee’s in a good position and got it wrong.

“Andy Woolmer was the referee and he’s 57-years-old. The original referee was Simon Hooper so effectively he was a replacement referee.

“He’s probably the oldest on the list.”

Cardiff were rewarded for their victory with a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool in the fourth round next month.

Denis Law scored a handball goal goal against Wales.
Mike England says to Denis at the end of the game. "You handled that Denis." , Denis replies,
"Read the newspapers in the morning.".

I find this an intersting article for a couple of reasons...

Firstly, why ex-pro referees like Keith Hackett feel the need to publicly 'slate' their fellow (and current) colleagues in suchva way is baffling but seems to be an increasing trend as the new arbitrators of football, Sky TV, increasingly seek to anaklse ever minute detail of a game that is at its best fldymamic, flowing and (what supporters like most) 'in the moment'


Secondly, it really doesn't matter what Keith Hackett thinks, the actual match referee (and his officiating team) didn't think it was and, with respect to a good PL referee in Mr Hackett) that is what counts in this and all games

For me, it was one of those where both sides would argue the point according to their individual positions, i.e. penalty for Preston, no penalty from Cardiff

We have been on the end of a couple of disgraceful decisions this season (and before) and, being honest we have gotten away with a few, too


I'd like to believe it balances out over a season but we know that's not always the case, as the 'better performing and currently bigger' clubs do seem to get a (maybe) subconcious advantage

We don't have VAR in the Championship, so it wasn't used on Saturday and the referees decision was final without a long stoppage to debate the most miniscule of margins. Of course, in reverse, had we had it when we were in the Premier League, that Chelsea goal that never was may just have seen our Premier League survival; but it didn't and we had to accept the 'rub of the green'

I don't think we 'got away' with one on Saturday. We deserved to win the game on genuine chances created and the bus is booked for our players to go play Liverpool at the Klopp and our supporters to have a great experience no matter what the result

We'll take it, thank you...!

When i first saw it i thought it was a clear foul, but looking at the incident again its difficult to tell. However Ched Evans definifetly lays a hand into the small of his back just as he jumps and this is what causes his hand to shoot up as he is off balance. Enough for a free kick is debateable but the very slight push is what causes the handball and maybe the ref saw it this way.

When i first saw it i thought it was a clear foul, but looking at the incident again its difficult to tell. However Ched Evans definifetly lays a hand into the small of his back just as he jumps and this is what causes his hand to shoot up as he is off balance. Enough for a free kick is debateable but the very slight push is what causes the handball and maybe the ref saw it this way.

This is a key point. The ref didn’t ‘miss it’ as he gave us a free kick - therefore he obviously decided that there had been foul on Nelson first.

I think it was soft and probably wasn’t a foul on Nelson, but it’s nonsense for Hackett to start saying he ‘missed it due to a lack of concentration or fatigue’ when the reality is that he had already/was in the process of blowing for a foul.

When i first saw it i thought it was a clear foul, but looking at the incident again its difficult to tell. However Ched Evans definifetly lays a hand into the small of his back just as he jumps and this is what causes his hand to shoot up as he is off balance. Enough for a free kick is debateable but the very slight push is what causes the handball and maybe the ref saw it this way.

This is a key point. The ref didn’t ‘miss it’ as he gave us a free kick - therefore he obviously decided that there had been foul on Nelson first.

I think it was soft and probably wasn’t a foul on Nelson, but it’s nonsense for Hackett to start saying he ‘missed it due to a lack of concentration or fatigue’ when the reality is that he had already/was in the process of blowing for a foul.

Exactly and you could argue that the ref saw a very sly push and realised that that was the reason for Nelsons hand being where it ended up. A ref using his common sense for once.

The action of giving the penalty is moot and secondary to the the ACTUAL potential incorrect decision that should be discussed.

They should be debating whether Woolmer was correct in giving the free kick for the push on Nelson.

Saying that, I don't think it was a foul and therefore the handball decision is to come into play but when you are in mid air the slightest touch sends you off balance.

So it can be argued that Woolmer was within his right to blow up for a foul.

Glad I cleared that up and in no way changed my mind twice.

It's funny how Keith Hackett can be so incandescent about that incident and yet when we have had much worse decisions against us there is a conspiracy of silence.

It was a penalty and should have been given, we got a bit lucky... but frankly PNE had one shot on target all game and that was their penalty.

But to be so angry about it is ridiculous.

Selective outrage!

In truth, its swings & roundabouts with pens! Anyway we won,no penalty given. You win some,you lose some! This time we won!!