Allardyce: Ref cost us final place
Sam Allardyce was fuming after he claimed his side were denied by the officials
Thursday, 21, Jan 2010 04:27
By Alistair Potter.
Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce has launched a remarkable attack on Carling Cup semi-final referee Martin Atkinson, claiming the official cost his side a place at Wembley.
Allardyce, whose side lost 6-4 on the night and 7-4 on aggregate in an amazing game against Aston Villa at Villa Park, was left fuming after the game - claiming at least two of the home side's goals should have been disallowed.
Rovers striker Niko Kalinic scored twice early on to put his side ahead on aggregate, but Allardyce pointed to Villa's first goal - when a push from Gabriel Agbonlahor on Ryan Nelsen allowed Ashley Young's cross to reach goalscorer Stephen Warnock - as the game's turning point.
"We were in complete control of the game, and if anybody was going to score again it was us," he complained.
"But then the referee allows a blatant foul on Ryan Nelsen to go unpunished, and at this level you have to make sure the referee gets those decisions right.
"We are out of a cup final because of that decision perhaps. It is a major decision that has stopped us having the chance to go to Wembley."
Allardyce had no complaints about the penalty decision against his side shortly afterwards, which saw James Milner equalise from the spot and Chris Samba receive his marching orders for scything down Agbonlahor when he was clean through.
But again he pointed at the England hopeful's conduct when questioning the legitimacy of Villa's fourth goal.
He said: "You could look at the fourth and say Agbonlahor had two arms on it and deflected it into the net for 4-2.
"Everybody thinks it's over, we're down to ten men anyway, but then we managed to get back to 5-4.
"But the major part of us not getting through to the final is the referee, no question about it."
Villa's victory puts them into the Carling Cup final on Sunday February 28th where they will play either Manchester United or Manchester City, who meet in the second leg of their semi-final next week with City leading 2-1.