Leeds United: ‘Cynical suspicion’ emerges after referee controversy v Rotherham
Andy Madley’s failure to award a penalty to Leeds United for a foul on Willy Gnonto may have been a deliberate attempt to even things up after the Whites’ controversial opener, according to Bryn Law.
The LUTV commentator reacted live on the match coverage on 10 February after the Italian was scythed down from behind against Rotherham late in the first half on his way into the box, only for the referee to point for a goal kick.
Law and pundit Tony Dorigo were convinced it was a clear foul, with the former’s “cynical suspicion” voiced that Madley had let it go following the visitors’ outrage at Patrick Bamford’s goal in the 10th minute, seemingly diverted in via his hand.
Dorigo said of the foul (3.39pm): “There’s no doubt he certainly got plenty of Gnonto as well… I tell you what, that’s not a great challenge, that is not a good challenge at all. No, that’s a foul, it’s inside the box, it’s a penalty.”
“I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.” Law replied. “Do you know what I think that could be?”
“An evening up of the first goal,” said Dorigo.
Law confirmed: “That would be my cynical suspicion.”
Leeds United on both sides of controversial decisions vs Rotherham
Put simply Bamford did handball his goal in and Gnonto was clearly fouled, with the only judgement call on the latter whether it was a free kick or had continued into the box for a penalty.
VAR gets a regular kicking from all angles, and it is often justified in light of how the officials use it, but had it been in effect at Elland Road both decisions would have almost certainly been reversed.
The Millers will have been the more unhappy of the two sides after Madley’s pair of apparently incorrect decisions as they surely needed all the luck they could muster to avoid defeat against Daniel Farke’s side.
They pegged the visiting Whites back for a draw on 26 November, but with 41 points and 21 places separating the two sides heading into this weekend’s clash and the home side in excellent form currently it was always going to be an uphill struggle.
Bamford was on the wrong end of a tight one in the first meeting this season but got the benefit of the doubt this time around.
Leeds United did get a penalty in the second half, dispatched by Crysencio Summerville after he had already doubled the lead.
It was expected going in that the Whites would have too much for the visitors and so it proved, meaning that controversial officiating probably wouldn’t have effected the final result, but it was a relative rare reminder of why VAR was brought in.
In other Leeds United news, three clubs are set to share in the transfer windfall the Whites have received.
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