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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Isaac Johnson

'You can't do that' - Stoke boss gives frank judgement on Brice Samba red card incident

Stoke City boss Michael O’Neill has backed referee Leigh Doughty’s decision to send off Nottingham Forest's Brice Samba in their 2-2 draw.

The goalkeeper was dismissed for throwing an arm at Potters defender Phil Jagielka after collecting the ball from a corner.

Joe Worrall was forced to go in between the sticks for the final 13 minutes with the hosts having already used their three substitutes.

Lewis Baker tucked away the resulting penalty but Forest would have the last laugh, Ryan Yates heading in a stoppage time equaliser.

Brennan Johnson had initially put Steve Cooper’s side ahead on 56 minutes before Josh Maja cancelled out their lead 12 minutes later.

Speaking about Samba’s red card incident after the game, Stoke manager O’Neill said: "A goalkeeper can't do what he did.

“He'd played well as well, made some very good saves and the referee was right in that situation.

"The referee obviously saw it, felt it was a penalty and was right to give it. Just because it's a goalkeeper and he was in control, it doesn't matter, you can't do that."

Brice Samba is sent off for Nottingham Forest against Stoke. (PA)

The Northern Irishman thought his side should have been travelling back to Staffordshire with all three points.

He added: "We're in there disappointed that we didn't win the game.

“We're coming to a team that everyone is talking about in this division and there was only one team in control of the game today and that was us.

"I thought we were the better team to be honest. I felt we controlled the game with the ball.”

He continued: "When we should have been punishing them, we were having to defend because we gave the ball away in their half and they could counter attack.

“It was quite direct, they could go into Keinan Davis, who's a handful. We had to sprint back to defend.I felt we deserved more than what we got today."

The draw means Forest have failed to beat Stoke in their five previous encounters and dents their promotion push, now two points behind sixth-place Middlesbrough having played a game fewer.

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