Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray agreed with Town manager Paul Jewell that referee Dean Whitestone was right to abandon this afternoon’s game at Portman Road.

The former Blues captain, coach and caretaker-manager Mowbray said: “It was probably the right decision. The bigger question would be whether it was right to start it. I had my concerns at two o’clock.

“We were all here at 11 and it looked lovely under that big hot air bubble they’ve got and I could fully understand why we looked towards having a quick look when it came down at half-past one.

“When we got off the bus, I think there were a few concerns and yet we were happy to start it because we’d come five and a half hours.

“We were here, the supporters were starting to come into the stadium and it was probably the right decision to start it. It’s easy to sit here in hindsight and say it wasn’t the right decision to start because we haven’t got it finished but I think as the sun went behind the stand the pitch started to crisp up.”

He says the pitch wasn’t too bad for the most part just in some sections: “Most of the players were happy in it, the middle of the pitch seemed relatively fine.

“What really highlighted it for me was the linesman in front of us five yards on the pitch running up and down so he could get a grasp of the grass.

“Just as the grass was getting to the touchline, it was really very firm and he couldn’t stop and start running in the opposite direction.

“For both for the linesmen and the players who play in wide areas, it was becoming more and more different.

“You could also highlight the fall of big Sonko, he’s potentially damaged some ribs not because of a bad challenge but because he landed on a very hard surface. Was it right? I think ultimately it probably was.”

Referee Dean Whitestone was not available for comment after the match.

Photo: Action Images

Dissboyitfc added 17:46 - Feb 11 does nt sound as though the players agreed?
0

s6blue added 17:59 - Feb 11 it s done now so lets just move on -- bring on tuesday night
0

jas0999 added 18:36 - Feb 11 'What really highlighted it for me was the linesman in front of us five yards on the pitch running up and down so he could get a grasp of the grass' game should not have gone ahead. End of story.
0

Keaneish added 18:48 - Feb 11 Landing on a hard surface!? Do me a Favour! What a load of rubbish! Sonko injured himself because if an unorthodox clearance and was unbalanced do fell awkwardly!!
0

Ely_Blue added 21:15 - Feb 11 That's funny, 5 yards inside of the touch line would equate to 15 feet, that's inside the penalty area in my book, a slight exaggeration me thinks, and we are expected to believe the rest of the tripe
0

colchesterchris added 21:44 - Feb 11 So you're having a go at Mowbray exaggerating, and then you ridiculously exaggerate yourself? The 6 yard box is 6 yards, so 5 is going to be slightly less than that..hardly inside the box is it?
0

TractorRoyNo1 added 21:32 - Feb 12 veno and mogga did not want the game played, they had a long journey, played extra time mid-week, had a couple of players missing, then for the first 30mins saw town play them off the park - surprise surpise the 4th official got earache
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls