Laughable: Sky Sports pundits’ forceful verdict on key Portsmouth moment in Preston North End downfall
Referee Adam Herczeg’s failure to give Pompey a Championship penalty at Preston was under the spotlight on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch segment today.
Pompey were denied a clear penalty as they fell to frustrating defeat at Preston.
And referee Adam Herczeg should have reduced the home side to 10 men in the first half, before the home side ran out 1-0 winners at Deepdale.
Ref’s call at Deepdale was ‘laughable’
The key incident which saw Adrian Segecic brought down by Lilywhites defender, Jordan Storey, was under the spotlight on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch segment this morning.
Ref Herczeg failed to point to the spot, as Storey appeared to take out the Blues attacker without making any obvious contact with the ball - instead giving a goal kick.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and top-flight player Jay Bothroyd were both in agreement the officials got the decision horribly wrong.
Bothroyd was perplexed over how the decision was arrived at, branding the call ‘laughable’ and ‘confusing’.
He told Sky Sports: ‘This one, to me, is laughable.
‘First of all, I’m not sure what the linesman is looking at. The linesman can see that, he can look across there and see the defender hasn’t got the ball.
‘The referee thinks he’s got the ball and I’m assuming the linesman thinks he’s got the ball - but if that’s the case, why hasn’t he given a corner?
‘I don’t understand that, but it’s clear that he hasn’t got the ball - it should have been a red card and it should have been a penalty.
‘I don’t understand, I really don’t understand that. It’s confusing.’
Ebou Adams verdict: ‘He’s embarrassed the person who’s dived’
Gallagher was similarly baffled over the ref’s call, with his only defence for the decision he felt that Storey got a touch on the ball - but even that view had flaws in it.
He added: ‘All I can think is he sees the trajectory of the ball and thinks he’s got it.
‘But my learned friend (Bothroyd) makes a really good point - if the defender got the ball it shouldn’t be a goal kick.’
The Segecic incident wasn’t the only one which was reviewed, with a comical exchange between Odeluga Offiah and Ebou Adams late in the game also drawing comments.
Adams mocked his Preston counterpart by mimicking his theatrical fall - much to the delight of the travelling Pompey fans.
Bothroyd was appreciative of the manner in which the Pompey man ridiculed Offiah’s conduct.
He added: ‘I love this, it’s so funny.
‘It’s great there. He’s embarrassed the person who’s tried to dive and make a meal of it.
‘He’s like “what are you doing?”. He’s barely touched him, actually he’s not touched him! That’s comedy, I loved that.’