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Joe Left Fuming
Joe Left Fuming
Tuesday, 31st Jan 2006 23:59

Boss Joe Royle was left fuming at referee Phil Crossley's late award of a penalty for a handball by Jason De Vos. Both the Town manager and the former Canadian international were adamant that he was fouled prior to the ball touching his hand.

Royle raged: "Firstly it wasn't a corner and then Rob Hulse banged into Jason, which is why his arm went up with the impact. I've seen it three times on the video now and there is no doubt.

"How the referee saw the handball but didn't see the foul on De Vos is amazing. He said he didn't see it so there is no more to be said.

"Leeds were causing us no problems in open play. Their only danger was coming from corners and it was terrible to drop two points after we had played outstandingly well."

Royle felt that Danny Haynes was tiring prior to picking up an injury just after the hour mark: "He was running out of juice anyway.

"I have always said he is not ready for 90 minutes but if he had scored his second when he hit the bar we would have gone on to win the match."

De Vos said he was astonished at the referee's decision: "I'm not disputing the handball. The ball definitely hit my hand but I don't normally jump with my hands in the air.

"It was a blatant foul, a push in the back, and I couldn't believe the referee gave a penalty. I was shocked more than anything.

"They had quite a few corners in a row and the lads were saying that some of them shouldn't have been awarded.

"It was the only way I could see them scoring, from a controversial goal, and it was a real sickener because we played well enough to have won the game."

Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell, not looking a gift horse in the mouth, said the referee was right to award the spotkick: "I thought it was a penalty from where I was, but I haven't seen the incident again and I am not going to say Joe is wrong.

"We came to Ipswich at a time when they are full of confidence and we were not quite on our game today. This is a great football arena and a terrific place to play.

"The young Ipswich goalkeeper made two unbelievable saves which really inspired his team. Ipswich had good spells but we stayed unbeaten which was important."

Blackwell had praise for Healy for tucking away the penalty having missed recently: "After skying the ball in the shoot-out with Wigan with his last penalty and knowing how important it was tonight, he kept his nerve well."


Photo: Action Images



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