Moyes bemoans costly decisions

18 September 2012 06:17

Everton manager David Moyes was left to bemoan two disputed decisions by officials which cost his side the chance of victory in a 2-2 draw at home to Newcastle.

Having seen Leighton Baines' opener cancelled out by Demba Ba just after half-time, Moyes was aggrieved Marouane Fellaini had one effort ruled out for offside and Victor Anichebe's header was not spotted by linesman Ceri Richards despite appearing to cross the line. Anichebe then netted a goal with two minutes remaining only for Ba's second of the night to snatch a point.

"There are two goals missed so I can't get them back but you hope that the linesman has a look and sees how he missed them," said Moyes, who spoke to the officials after the game. "I had a word and said 'You've missed two goals' and it does affect the outcome of the game but what can I do about it?"

He added: "I am sure the referee will have a look at them himself and see if he got it right or wrong - which we all know because we have seen it. Fellaini's goal was onside and if your job is to look along the line you hope the linesman sees if the ball crosses the line, but we've seen many occasions where they don't get it right.

"I thought the offside goal was a goal from the touchline so I was surprised when it was ruled out. The other one you can't really tell but the reaction of the players was that they felt it was over and they are not usually far off the mark."

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew, who had to watch from the stands as he served the first game of a two-match touchline ban, admitted Everton had been hard done to.

"The one over the line was definitely in," he said. "I have been saying all along that technology must come in and it has cost Everton a crucial goal."

Pardew, who was missing goalkeeper Tim Krul and Fabricio Coloccini among others, was dismayed by his side's performance in the opening 45 minutes.

"The first half was as bad as I've seen us play under my tenure," he added. "It was a team who lacked belief. I've never sent out a team to contain or defend. Demba's performance gave us belief but everyone stepped on to Everton and on the second-half showing we just about deserved a point.

"We were fortunate to come in at 1-0 down. The second half I thought we gave a really good account of ourselves with the team we had."

Source: PA