Allardyce rounds on ref
This time, it was Blackburn’s Sam Allardyce who felt he had tasted injustice after Mike Jones, the Cheshire official, dismissed substitute Jason Roberts in the goalless draw against West Brom.
Roberts had only been the pitch for 10 minutes after stepping off the bench when he was red-carded for what the referee saw in an off-the-ball incident with Jonas Olsson.
The striker looked bewildered at the decision, as did Allardyce.
Roberts will miss the first three games of next season, although Blackburn intend to appeal.
Allardyce said: “The referee said Jason had been sent off for punching Olsson.
“It is not a punch. It is not even an elbow in the face. He has swung around to get his arm away from Olsson, who is having a tug at him.
“I have had a look at it on the laptop and I cannot see how it is a straight red card. Jason is looking at missing three games unless common sense prevails and the appeals committee agree with my view on it.”
Allardyce was angered that Roberts’ sending-off overshadowed the 294th and final Blackburn appearance of playmaker Tugay, who is retiring after eight seasons at the club. The Turkish star was given a standing ovation when he came off five minutes from the final whistle.
Stand-in Rovers striker Chris Samba came close to breaking the deadlock only for his shot to hit a post.
BLACKBURN (4-4-2): Robinson, Andrews, Ooijer, Givet, Warnock, Diouf, Kerimoglu (Olsson 85), Pedersen, Samba (Roberts 59), McCarthy, Grella (Mokoena 69).
Subs Not Used: Bunn, Khizanishvili, Villanueva, Treacy.
WEST BROM (4-4-2): Kiely, Zuiverloon, Donk, Olsson, Robinson, Koren, Borja Valero (Kim 83), Greening, Brunt, Menseguez (Wood 90), Fortune.
Subs Not Used: Carson, Moore, Simpson, Downing, Sawyers.
REFEREE: Ref: Mike Jones (Cheshire) 5: Prompted huge controversy by sending off Roberts.
MATCH RATING: * The players might as well have been wearing flip-flops.
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