Malky: Oakwell ref got big calls wrong

Watford boss Malky Mackay blasted the “embarrassing” performance of referee Fred Graham at Oakwell on Saturday, suggesting the Essex official got the game`s big decisions wrong during his 1-0 loss to Barnsley…

… and Tykes gaffer, Mark Robins, agreed with him – kind of!

The Hornets gaffer insisted his troops did enough to “deserve at least a point” in the South Yorkshire but didn`t get a fair rub of the green from the man in black then saw the Barnsley boss say his side “had a bit of help”!

Watford had a first half penalty appeal turned away when Hooray Henri Lansbury was cynically hauled down when through on goal and got nothing when Tykes stopper Luke Steele clearly handled outside his box (diving at the feet of the Cow).

But it was the perfectly good Danny Graham headed ‘goal`, chalked off at the death for an alleged shove, that the gaffers agreed on.

Malky didn`t hold back, stating “I`ve looked at it on video 5 of 6 tines and there was no push by Danny Graham. It was clear that he headed the ball and there was no pushing”.

Our Braveheart boss added “I have watched both incidents again and I thought Danny`s disallowed goal and the first half penalty decision were both wrong – it’s embarrassing“.


And in a surprise turn of events, the Barnsley boss even admitted his side got lucky. Honest Mark added “I thought we were fortunate that the ref disallowed it…We had a bit of help from the referee at the end when he spotted a push in the back”.

Not that Robins gets much support from his own Barnsley camp mind you!

Oh no, the official Barnsley site(and probably most biased ‘official’ site we have ever come across) reckon “the ref rightly blew for a foul” and “it was one of the few decisions which seemed to go Barnsley`s way”. Maybe their PR man should take a leaf out of the manager`s book for once?

They even have the er, balls to ‘report` that ref Graham was baited into showing a red card to Ryan Shotton (for a dreadful, ill timed 2 footed lunge full of intent on Lloydinho) after being “surrounded by baying Watford players” and that penalty shout was only down to “Lansbury`s theatrical fall to the ground”!?!

Clearly, the red tinted glasses handed out by the Barnsley media team hadn`t reached the home side`s coaching team by the look of things!!!