Grayson refuses to turn on Friend

Simon Grayson refused to condemn referee Kevin Friend following his decision not to send off Ian Ashbee in Leeds' 2-2 draw at home to Hull. The Whites' Argentinian striker Luciano Becchio was flattened by Ashbee's challenge late in the second half of Tuesday night's Championship clash at Elland Road after team-mate John Bostock had already been dismissed for two yellow card offences.Hull teenager Bostock, on loan from Tottenham, had earlier thundered home a 30-yard free-kick to give his side a 14th-minute lead, but Bradley Johnson drilled home a deserved equaliser from the edge of the penalty area in the 33rd minute.Leeds dominated the second half and on-loan Bolton defender Andy O'Brien headed his first goal for the club to put them deservedly in front in the 71st minute. But Grayson's side gifted Hull a share of the points in the 82nd minute when Johnson sliced Tigers' substitute Tom Cairney's corner into his own net at the near post.Grayson said of the elbowing incident: "I've seen it and it's not too clever. He's got a bump above his eye."But it's not for me to decide. I've seen it and made my feelings clear and it's up to the referee to decide."Someone asked me the question on Monday and I've always agreed with what (Stoke manager) Tony Pulis had to say - referees should come out and be accountable for decisions, good or bad, and do a press conference afterwards."It shouldn't be me explaining why the situation didn't get sorted when it should have done."Grayson was left frustrated his side had been denied a first win in four home league matches, but Leeds have the consolation of halting a miserable sequence of three straight home defeats and kept pace with the top six.Grayson added: "It's frustrating because we should have won the game.But after the sending off we got a little bit sloppy, a bit lacksadaisical and if you do that in any match you're going to get punished."Unfortunately that's what's happened and it's cost us two points we should certainly have had."Hull remain without a win for eight league matches now and despite rescuing a point, fans have yet to be convinced Nigel Pearson, in his fifth month in charge, is the right man to lead them up the table.But Pearson was pleased with his players' response following Saturday's home defeat to Humber rivals Scunthorpe.Pearson said: "We played with a lot more drive and belief of late and if we show those qualities more often we'll change our luck."But there were quite a lot of positives tonight. If we show the same sort of drive, commitment and honesty we will turn things round."But that's got to be the starting point. I didn't feel we ever gave up the fight. The palyers have worked exceptionally hard tonight."It was a decent derby, but I'm not going overboard. Let's keep it in perspective, it's a point and we still remain in a position we don't want to be in."

Source: Team_Talk