Cottagers critical of decisions

Roy Hodgson felt Fulham were the victims of poor refereeing as Roma snatched a late draw amid chaotic scenes at Craven Cottage.

Hodgson was dismayed that referee Paul Allaerts awarded a penalty when John Arne Riise tumbled beneath an innocuous challenge from Stephen Kelly in the 76th minutes.

Allaerts then showed Brede Hangeland the red card until a crowd of Fulham players successfully persuaded him that he had picked the wrong player.

Hodgson was baffled at how the additional assistant referee, stationed just yards away, failed to help Allaerts make the correct decision.

“If you watch the penalty decision on the video it was quite a harsh one. I’m not 100% sure there was contact,” said Hodgson.

“Kelly has tried quite hard to stay out of the way because he knew Riise was looking for the penalty.

“The sending off I can’t really understand. Hangeland was coming across to try and get a block in.

“The penalty was awarded so I can’t understand why the referee felt it necessary for us to play the last 15 minutes with 10 men.

“Referees make wrong decisions. We already know that. He selected the wrong man.

“I would like to have seen the assistant referee make it clear to the referee it wasn’t a foul in the first instance.”

Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer produced a brilliant save of Jeremy Menez’s spot kick to preserve the lead that had been secured by Hangeland’s towering 24th minute header.

But Roma snatched the latest of points when Marco Andreolli ghosted in unmarked at the far post where he drove in with the penultimate kick of the match.

“We should have won the game,” said Hodgson.

“It’s extremely hard for us because we did very well at West Ham earlier this month but had another extremely harsh sending off there two.

“It’s amazing that a team that hardly commits a foul gets two players sent off this season.

“Roma won with the very last kick of the game with a deflected goal so obviously we feel aggrieved. It was a marvellous save from Mark.”

The draw saw Fulham drop down to second place in Group E, one point behind leaders Basle.