Wolves’ Craig Dawson has revealed what referee Andy Madley told him after he failed to award a penalty when Newcastle United’s Nick Pope brought down Raul Jiminez in the box.
Referee Andy Madley chose to ignore the appeals and play continued, but subsequent reviews showed that Wolves may have had every right to be upset.
During half-time and after the game, Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink both felt that Pope was lucky to still be on the pitch after he “bodychecked” Jiminez and sent him sprawling to the ground.
Dawson has shared Madley’s view on the Pope and Jiminez clash
In real time, and from where Madley was the challenge looked innocuous, while Wolves pleaded for a penalty and red card, Newcastle fans were wondering where the yellow card for simulation was for Jiminez.
Wolves defender Craig Dawson has now shared that he asked Andy Madley the reasons behind his decision, telling Wolves Official: “There was obviously a coming together [between Pope and Jimenez] and I asked the referee and he kind of said it was a coming together and I’ve not really seen it again.”
While it’s likely that “a coming together” will just reignite the flames for Wolves fans, it does explain the decision. Madley clearly felt it was 50/50 and therefore no simulation by Jiminez and no real offense by Pope.
Even Toon legend, Alan Shearer thought Newcastle were lucky tweeting: “That’s a very lucky escape. Could, probably should have been a pen after that mistake from Pope.”
Where was VAR?
However, the other big question was why VAR wasn’t consulted given how far away from the action Madley was. The party line being it wasn’t a clear and obvious error, which no doubt Newcastle will be happy with, but had that happened at the other end there’d be outrage for sure.
It seems like VAR is the most inconsistently applied thing that has been brought into football alongside changes to the handball rules.