Another FIFA own goal

I WAS just settling into my London hotel room, prior to heading to Fulham, when I remembered that the first FA Cup quarter-final was already well into its second half and that I could watch the remainder on television.

So I saw the two Portsmouth goals, the first of which I thought was offside in the build-up. There were no doubts whatsoever about the second one which was brilliantly taken by Piquionne. However, then came the real controversy.

Now it may not have affected the outcome – Birmingham boss Alex McLeish naturally felt otherwise – but there is no question surely that Liam Ridgewell’s header had clearly crossed the line before David James clawed the ball back into play. James is a really bright guy but he was, to say the least, disingenuous afterwards claiming that technology wouldn’t have shown that it should have been a goal.