'Cost us the game' - Angry Portsmouth boss rages at Blackburn Rovers controversy
John Mousinho insisted that referee Farai Hallam cost Portsmouth the game after not awarding a penalty against Blackburn Rovers.
John Eustace admitted post-match that his side were fortunate to get away with the decision. Aynsley Pears came rushing out of his goal and clattered Callum Lang after he beat him to the ball. The cross found Colby Bishop, whose header was cleared off the line.
To make matters worse for the visitors, Rovers counter-attacked and scored directly after. That made it 2-0 and effectively ended the contest.
Mousinho was furious with the decision and claimed the linesman had indicated the referee should give a penalty but he overruled the decision.
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"You probably saw from my reaction, I knew it was a penalty at the time," Mousinho told The News.
"Pears comes out, Callum Lang gets the ball ahead of him - and Pears just takes him out. I can’t understand why it’s not given. I’ve just spoken to the referee and had his explanation, I’m not happy with it.
"I go in and speak to referees after games and most of the time give them honest feedback and qualify anything I say, such as by no means was it the referee's fault that we lost or they didn’t have an influence over the result. That wasn’t the case today - the referee’s decision did cost us the game.
"The linesman indicated a penalty to the referee and the referee took control of the situation. Normally I wouldn't have an issue with that, but we have had two penalties now this season - Stoke away and Watford away - where the linesman has given both decisions.
"The referee said Lang got the ball first, Pears then takes him out - but it was a coming together. Well that’s a foul anywhere else on the pitch, it’s a foul in the box, it's a penalty 100 per cent of the time.
"If the penalty gets given there’s no way anybody complains and says 'Oh it’s just a coming together'. They accept a penalty and get on with it.
"I don’t want to labour the point too much, I think everyone knows it was a mistake. Yet it’s a double whammy because Blackburn go straight up the other end and score."
