Source: Daily_Mail
Sheff Utd 2 Birmingham 1: Ref Mason in the firing line again as Blades get lucky
Sheffield United discovered that sometimes wrong decisions can produce the right results. [LNB]Three days after their harsh FA Cup exit at Hull[LNB], Kevin Blackwell's side were the beneficiaries of contentious refereeing as Birmingham were on the receiving end - courtesy, ironically, of the man who was fourth official at the KC Stadium last Thursday. [LNB]Lee Mason will be squirming again when he sees both of United's goals. The first should have been ruled out for offside and the second was a controversial penalty incident. [LNB][LNB] Controversy: Danny Webber scores United's opener but it should have been ruled out[LNB]Birmingham boss Alex McLeish said of United's reversal of fortune: 'It looked like the officials were trying to make it up to them.' [LNB]But the better team won this top-of-the-table scrap. [LNB]'We were due a bit of fortune after the last few days, but that win was thoroughly well deserved,' said Blackwell. [LNB]Bad day: Birmingham manager Alex McLeish was unhappy with referee Lee Mason's performance[LNB] McLeish was left aggrieved. Darius Henderson was standing offside when he headed down Gary Naysmith's cross for Danny Webber to chest and volley in shortly before half-time. [LNB]A 74th-minute own goal by home skipper Chris Morgan from David Murphy's cross made it 1-1. [LNB]But then Mason - seemingly well placed - pointed to the spot after Craig Beattie tumbled in the box in the 83rd minute. Stephen Carr and Radhi Jaidi were converging from behind Beattie but there appeared to be little or no contact. David Cotterill slotted in a precise penalty. [LNB]McLeish said: 'The officials had a bad day. The penalty decision, which I've seen again, was absolutely ludicrous. [LNB]'If that was a penalty, the referee will have to give 20 penalties. I decided to stay away from him afterwards for fear I'd say something I regretted. [LNB]'At this level there's no hiding place for anyone and the officials didn't do their jobs. The referee decided to be the man to take the headlines and we feel hard done by.'[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
