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Portsmouth News/Neil Allen - Referees' chief apologises for QPR blunder
Steve Cotterill has revealed how he has received an apology from a referees' chief over the recent QPR debacle.
Last month, the Blues were heading for a 1-0 victory over the runaway Championship leaders following a Liam Lawrence penalty.
But in stoppage-time, referee Gavin Ward harshly adjudged that Lawrence handled Tommy Smith's cross inside the penalty area.
Smith levelled from the spot to preserve a record which remains unbeaten even now for leaders QPR.
It was a highly- controversial decision which left Pompey and supporters fuming.
Now Cotterill has admitted he has since received an e-mail from the referee's assessor present on the night, who conceded the penalty should never have been awarded.
Cotterill was still unhappy at the denial of two precious points, though.
He said: 'We should have beaten QPR – the referee made a big mistake.
'Afterwards they think they can correct that by sending me an e-mail admitting that someone got it wrong.
'It was from the assessor, for all the good that does this football club.
'Yet who is prepared to say that on the night?
'After a match I speak to the television, radio and then press. Now I haven't got a problem with that.
'So why can't match officials also come out and speak, explaining some of their decisions?
'It's wrong. We want to hear what they have to say on things like this.
'It's not much comfort afterwards being told by somebody else it was a mistake. We should have won that game and be two points better off in the league.
'It cost us big time.'
Steve Cotterill has revealed how he has received an apology from a referees' chief over the recent QPR debacle.
Last month, the Blues were heading for a 1-0 victory over the runaway Championship leaders following a Liam Lawrence penalty.
But in stoppage-time, referee Gavin Ward harshly adjudged that Lawrence handled Tommy Smith's cross inside the penalty area.
Smith levelled from the spot to preserve a record which remains unbeaten even now for leaders QPR.
It was a highly- controversial decision which left Pompey and supporters fuming.
Now Cotterill has admitted he has since received an e-mail from the referee's assessor present on the night, who conceded the penalty should never have been awarded.
Cotterill was still unhappy at the denial of two precious points, though.
He said: 'We should have beaten QPR – the referee made a big mistake.
'Afterwards they think they can correct that by sending me an e-mail admitting that someone got it wrong.
'It was from the assessor, for all the good that does this football club.
'Yet who is prepared to say that on the night?
'After a match I speak to the television, radio and then press. Now I haven't got a problem with that.
'So why can't match officials also come out and speak, explaining some of their decisions?
'It's wrong. We want to hear what they have to say on things like this.
'It's not much comfort afterwards being told by somebody else it was a mistake. We should have won that game and be two points better off in the league.
'It cost us big time.'
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