As they watched their team walk off the pitch in defeat after a Football League Cup against Oxford down south, Sunderland fans were frustrated. Despite losing 4-2 on penalties, the supporters believed they shouldn’t have even needed to go to spot-kicks in the first place.
In the dying embers of the game, Luke O’Nien went down in the box as he was through on goal. As fans of the Black Cats screamed for a penalty, referee Steve Martin waved play on. Manager Phil Parkinson also thought his team deserved a ‘clear penalty’ in the first half after Joel Lynch was brought down in the box (BBC).
But it wasn’t just Sunderland’s manager who commented on the decision. The supporters were also furious at the performance of the referee, claiming that the passage of play should have resulted in a ‘stone wall’ penalty.
Stone wall
— Jon Ridley (@jonridley87) October 29, 2019
Stevie wonder could see that was a penalty pic.twitter.com/dVGMiLcSst
— james turnbull (@jxmes123) October 29, 2019
Definitely a penalty.
— SAFC North Yorkshire (@SAFC_NYorkshire) October 29, 2019
Shocking decision
— stephen smith (@stevemiff71) October 29, 2019
Absolute joke. Should’ve had a penalty there
— Harvey Dale (@HarveyDale12) October 29, 2019
Other fans claimed that the refereeing at the lower league level is not good enough, while another pointed out that there was no reason for the player to dive since he was through on goal.
Refs in league one are truly terrible the fa really need to look at it
— Mark Bolton (@markbol1972) October 29, 2019
Why would he dive there he’s in on goal man come on ref
— Gavwilsafc21 (@gavwilsafc) October 29, 2019
What do we think?
Considering the Sunderland players hardly looked comfortable in the penalty shootout, there is every chance that they could have missed this one if it was given. That won’t make Phil Parkinson and Sunderland fans feel any better though. The Black Cats will need to turn their sights towards Southend United in the league in an attempt to get back to winning ways and get their promotion ambitions back on track.