Brown has Friend in ref

Tigers boss backs referee after first-leg triumph

Last updated: 11th May 2008

Brown has Friend in ref

Phil Brown roars on his Hull City side

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Hull manager Phil Brown insisted that referee Kevin Friend "had a great game" after his side took a controversial step towards the Premier League with a 2-0 win at Watford in the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs.

Hometown veterans Nick Barmby and Dean Windass scored in the first half to put the Tigers on track for a place at Wembley but Friend was involved in two incidents which incensed the home crowd.

He disallowed a fourth-minute goal by Danny Shittu for an alleged challenge on goalkeeper Boaz Myhill before sending off Hornets captain John Eustace on the hour mark.

Eustace was involved in an altercation with Hull skipper Ian Ashbee and Brown insisted that there was a butt from the Watford player.

Brown said: "The referee had a great game. I can say that after the two major decisions.

Disappointing

"For the goal it looked to me that he was climbing all over one of our defenders and the whistle went before he even headed the ball.

"The fourth official saw a headbutt for the sending off so that is clear cut. I was hoping that the fourth official would play a part and he did.

"The most disappointing thing was not to get the third and kill it off. To be disappointed with a 2-0 is staggering but we could have won by three or four."

Brown admitted that the Hornets had caused problems for his side and hailed the performance of Myhill after the new Wales international produced an amazing save in the second half to deny Mat Sadler.

He said: "It's still all to play for in my opinion. I've unfortunately been involved in losing from 2-0 up and 3-0 up in the play-offs as a player so I'll take nothing for granted.

"The defence was magnificent. I know Dean Windass and Nicky Barmby will get all the headlines but the goalkeeper was outstanding and he thoroughly deserves his recent international status.

"I knew before the game that Nicky and Dean would have to come off at some stage in this searing heat and for both of them to score was superb for me.

"They are playing as Hull boys for Hull City and they will make sure that there is no complacency in the dressing room.

"We've got another 90 minutes to play for and it's going to be a hell of a game."

Crucial

Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd confirmed that he will appeal the decision to dismiss Eustace and insisted that the tie is alive.

Defeat extended Watford's dire run of form to one win in 15 but Boothroyd insisted that the referee's performance was crucial.

He said: "At 2-0 with the home leg to come I would imagine it is fair to say that is advantage Hull.

"We played very well, as well as we have for a long time, but defensive lapses and decisions have cost us.

"The goal was a goal. The only person pushing was the Hull goalkeeper so I cannot understand why he disallowed it.

"With the sending off we have a situation where the Hull players are more experienced than the referee and they've talked him into a red card.

"The ball's on the floor, there are bodies around and he's gone for the ball. Are we not allowed to tackle any more?

"I will appeal the red card and we'll have to see what happens before Wednesday."

Comments (5)

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Steve Henry (Charlton Athletic fan) says...

The Shittu goal was a foul because a Watford player was backing into and trying to block the keeper from the corner. Nothing wrong with Shittu's header but the decision to disallow was correct. It was not Shittu who committed the foul. I am an Ipswich Town season ticket holder and watched both Watford and Hull at Portman Road this season. Hull came to play football and went away with the Ipswich fans applauding both the Hull players and their supporters as they went on their way in their Coaches. Watford were completely the opposite to Hull and their cynical play completely spoiled the game and I and the rest of the Town fans were totally frustrated by a shameful Watford performance. Eustace typifies the cynical and physical approach to Championship football this season (once described by Alan Curbishley about Bolton as thuggish) and he played just the same way as he did for Stoke at Portman Road. The sooner the thugs are stopped in their tracks the sooner the fans will see better football. Well done to West Brom for being Champions and playing attractive, entertaining football. Boothroyd's response to the 2 key decisions typifes the attitude he instills in his players.

Posted 14:16 12th May 2008

Phil Reed says...

Interesting comments from the outspoken Brown and completely at odds with your own match commentary team. May I suggest getting rid of one or the other? Also, how can you see a 'butt' from directly behind one of the players involved as Brown, and the fourth official were? Congratulations to the Hull keeper on a terrific string of later saves but would he have been so outstanding if Brown's Friend hadn't undeservedly helped him out from the start?

Posted 13:35 12th May 2008

Martin D (Hull City fan) says...

Sounds like bitter Watford fans to me, i'd probably agree that the red card was a bit harsh, didn't look to be much wrong with it really, but for the goal there was another watford player obstructing Myhill. We all know goalkeeper's are over-protected nowadays but it's the same in every game, and it was a foul! To say Watford were the better team is absolute rubbish, we hit the post, forced some equally good saves from your keeper as what Myhill made and have basically won it comfortably. Hull are the better team, the league and results say it all, was it 3 - 0 at the KC last month!? that's right, yea.

Posted 11:12 12th May 2008

Daniel Wright (Watford fan) says...

I'm sorry was Brown watching the same game I was on Sunday? There was nothing wrong with Shittu's goal at all, it was a great header. I was sitting behind Brown in the stand and I could definitly not see a head butt just some shoving so if the ref has sent him off for that why didnt there number 2 get sent off for pushing our player on 2 seperate occasions. I would guess it would have something to do with the fact that Brown was in the 4th officials ear non stop throughout the game. Tommy Smith should have got a penalty for being sandwiched in the box. Several of their players went off the pitch and came back on without permission thats an offence in itself ast time i checked! Watford were by far the better team and created more chances and the referees performance was a typical example of how officials cost teams games, especially when being harrased non stop from the manager. And just to sum up what kind of team Hull really are was when Fraizer-Cambell refused to kick the ball back to the Watford player when it was two inches away from him!! The only praise I would give to Hull would be towards their keeper who had a brilliant game and kept Hull in it.

Posted 10:23 12th May 2008

Matt Howard (Watford fan) says...

What's going to happen next - no contact allowed? The goal was as clear-cut a goal you'll see all season. Only one person was fouling in the box and that was the Goalkeeper. The sending off was a yellow card at max. I'm not normally one for blaming referee's decisions for costing us a game, especially being a Watford lad - we tend to be our own downfall! But today, the ref cost us and I'm disappointed to hear Phil Brown's comments - if it'd been the other way round I'd be interested to hear what he has to say. Bring on the second leg - Aidy will have the lads fired up. If we go down, we'll certainly go down fighting.

Posted 10:22 12th May 2008
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