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Mathew Davies

Cardiff City headlines as pundit slams 'such a poor decision' in Blackpool game and Bagan reveals spark behind form

These are your Cardiff City headlines on Sunday, February 20.

Pundit and manager agree over penalty decision

Quest pundit Jamie Mackie says not awarding Blackpool a penalty against Cardiff City was "such a poor decision" by the referee.

Josh Bowler was booked for simulation having gone down in the box under a challenge from Bluebirds' Ryan Wintle.

Running at pace, Bowler angled a run towards the Cardiff goal but he hit the deck when surrounded by men in blue.

Referee Darren Bond was having none of it and produced a yellow card for the dumbstruck Bowler.

"Josh Bowler, Blackpool, the Tangerines spitting feathers over this," said host Colin Murray on Quest. "He was given a booking for diving, look at the referee's position there Jamie."

"It's a great position, and I know everyone wants to cut out diving but it's such a poor decision from the ref," Mackie responded.

"Wintle goes in there and he pushes, you can see from this angle, Josh Bowler, a lad I know, who was a young lad at QPR, sold to Everton, he's really direct, he's got that running style, goes into the box like he's meant to do and he gets pushed, it's a penalty."

It was an adjudication that left the Seasiders' boss Neil Critchley fuming.

"It’s a decision that beggars belief to be honest with you,” Critchley said afterwards.

“I knew at the time it was a penalty. They knew, their staff knew, the players knew.

“Josh does what he does well, he drives into the box, cuts inside his man and it’s actually Ryan Wintle who comes into the back of him and there’s obvious contact.

“He’s about to shoot, so why would he go down in that situation? Why would he fall over? It’s a ridiculous decision.

“If you go 2-1 up with just over 20 minutes to go, goals change games and they have to come forward and it leaves more space. We might win that 3-1.

“But it finishes 1-1 and that’s fine, okay, we’ll take a point. But it’s a critical decision the referee has got wrong and not only that, he books our player for diving. It’s unbelievable.”

Bagan: I needed that motivation

Goal hero Joel Bagan says seeing the likes of Ryan Giles and Alfie Doughty playing in front of him was the motivational spark he needed.

Bagan saw loan man Giles start the season ahead of him in the pecking order at Cardiff City Stadium, with the Wolves man in good form. After he was recalled to Molineux, Morison brought in Doughty from Stoke City, who also started like a train in south Wales.

However, an injury picked up by Doughty at Barnsley saw Bagan handed a chance to impress and the youngster hasn't looked back, scoring three goals in the past week.

"After I got the second one, I said I couldn't believe it, but today, I was just in the right place at the right time again, and connected with it well," Bagan said. "I don't think I've ever done this before, even as a kid!

"In the first half we weren't at our best, and we knew that going in at half-time. But we came out in the second half, and we're disappointed in the end, in the changing room, that we didn't get three points out of it.

"I think it's disappointing when you're not playing; as a player, you want to be playing every game. But, seeing Ryan Giles and Alfie Doughty playing, it was something I needed. Looking back at it now, it was probably the best thing that could have happened.

"I've been here with people like Isaak Davies and Rubin Colwill for four of five years now; boys who I've done a scholarship with. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself when you're in the changing room and there are five or six of you sat in there and you're all involved."

Warnock was offered Sunderland deal

The Sun report that former Cardiff boss Neil Warnock was offered a short-term deal to become Sunderland boss.

Warnock, among a number of others including Roy Keane and Grant McCann, was put off by the length of contract on offer at the Stadium of Light.

The role was on the basis of taking over until the end of the season.

In the end, former Preston boss Alex Neil took the reins. Warnock remains keen on a return to management, though.

Fowler wants Bradford job

Former Bluebirds striker Robbie Fowler is keen on the Bradford City job.

The 46-year-old has had managerial stints in Australia and India and is now keen on getting back into it in this country.

Derek Adams was sacked by the Bantams earlier this week, with the League Two club in mid-table.

Former Rotherham boss Steve Evans is also interested, report The Sun.

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