Source: Team_Talk
Managers agree ref got it right
Sven-Goran Eriksson and Chris Hughton largely agreed referee Kevin Wright got the key decisions right in Birmingham's 2-0 win over Leicester.[LNB] Fourth official Wright was immediately thrown into the limelight at St Andrew's on Sunday having been introduced at half-time to replace the injured Graham Salisbury, who sustained a calf problem.[LNB]There were just over three second-half minutes gone in the Championship clash when Jean Beausejour was sent tumbling in the area by Andy King, with Wright pointing to the spot and allowing Marlon King to slot home the opener.[LNB]Just six minutes later and Wright was again at the centre of proceedings, as he brandished a straight red card to Leicester captain Matt Mills for a two-footed lunge on Morgaro Gomis, with the decision coming much to the dismay of the visiting players.[LNB]Afterwards, Leicester boss Eriksson said: "The penalty I really don't know, I've seen it five or six times and I don't know if it's a penalty or not. I don't know if he touched the ball first. Difficult for a referee.[LNB]"The red card, he got it right. You're not allowed to tackle like that."[LNB]Hughton was certainly stronger in his opinions on the penalty, while sharing the same verdict over Mills' dismissal.[LNB]"There was certainly contact (for the penalty)," he said. "Jean is a strong personality and if he thinks there's an opportunity to go through and score he's not one who likes to go down too easily.[LNB]"I presume if there's contact, and it's in the box, then it's the right decision.[LNB]"(Regarding the red card) both feet are definitely off the ground when the challenge is made.[LNB]"Everyone will look at it over the next couple of days and have an opinion. But both feet are off the ground and generally these days if that happens then it is a red card."[LNB]Eriksson also felt Wright was correct not to award his Leicester team a spot-kick of their own late on following reasonable appeals after Andy King was blocked in his tracks by Liam Ridgewell.[LNB]But one error the Swede felt Wright made was his decision not to show Chile international winger and man of the match Beausejour a second yellow card for a foul on Lee Peltier, moments before Mills' red.[LNB]"Where I think the referee got it wrong was when Lee was through and Beausejour kicked him from behind, for sure that's a yellow card and it would have been his second," said Eriksson.[LNB]However, Blues boss Hughton did on this occasion share a different opinion on the incident.[LNB]He said: "The fact he had already received a yellow card, I suppose it opens up the question. Would I have seen that as a yellow card if he hadn't already have got one? Probably not."[LNB]Despite refereeing decisions dominating the headlines, the result ended Leicester's seven-match unbeaten run and clinched a third successive victory in all competitions for Birmingham, who wrapped up victory in the 84th minute courtesy of Chris Wood's well-taken finish - his ninth of the season.
