Preston North End midfielder Daniel Johnson has hit out at the decision to both award and allow Nottingham Forest’s winning penalty in the Reds’ 1-0 win at Deepdale yesterday.
Lewis Grabban scored the only goal of the game after referee Tim Robinson pointed to the penalty spot for a handball by Darnell Fisher.
That goal proved crucial for Chris Hughton’s side as the three points saw them climb out of the relegation zone.
But the awarding of the penalty is a decision the referee got wrong, according to Johnson.
“First of all, I don’t think it’s a penalty. I think your natural reaction when you’re falling on the floor is to put your hands out to protect yourself,” he told iFollow PNE.
“Darnell’s falling to the floor and naturally puts his arm out to protect himself and someone smashes the ball at him from two yards away – there’s nothing you can do about that. Even for him to hesitate and take about ten seconds for him to even give the pen just sums it up for me.”
It wasn’t just the award of the penalty that irritated Preston, with Forest’s opposition also claiming that Grabban’s penalty involved a double touch from the striker.
“Then the penalty is what it is. Me standing it behind it I’ve seen it clearly, it’s hit his standing leg, how he’s not seen it I don’t know. It’s a difficult one, a sore one because I felt we’ve done enough to get over the line,” Johnson added.
And his manager Alex Neil agreed.
"I wouldn't say it's a clear penalty, but I can understand them potentially giving it because it does hit his arm,” he said.
"The disappointing thing is the next bit because it's decided the game and it's had two touches, I've seen it back on numerous occasions since.
"He has certainly taken two touches; the referee gave the penalty which I was disappointed with but to miss the second bit is unforgivable because it's cost us the match.”
