GARY Rowett said Millwall should have been awarded a penalty in injury-time in their 2-1 defeat at Swansea on Saturday.
The Lions were pressing for a second equaliser when Shaun Hutchinson appeared to be dragged to the ground by Swans defender Marc Guehi, but instead referee Steve Martin confusingly ordered the corner to be retaken.
Swansea had gone ahead through Jake Bidwell before Tom Bradshaw equalised. Ben Cabango scored the winner with 22 minutes left.
“I felt we just about did enough to get a point,” Rowett said. “We should have had a penalty in the 90th minute, I think it was a bit of a cop-out from the referee. I’ve seen it back, it’s the most blatant penalty you’re ever going to see. Whether the ball’s in play just before the first foul’s taken place, but he drags Shaun Hutchinson down for about 10 yards and then only gives it [corner to be retaken] right at the end. So for me the right decision was a penalty.
“Ball comes in, there’s a lot of pulling going on. I don’t know who it was, but their player has grabbed Shaun Hutchinson, two arms around him and then as the ball is just about near Hutchy he’s literally wrestled him to the floor. But the referee said the ball hadn’t come in play before the first incident.
“Technically, I suppose if you want to be black and white that’s right. But if someone drags someone to the ground in the box, for me that has to be a penalty. Or, stop it just before the ball comes into play.
“It wasn’t just one of those situations where it’s happening just before the moment [the corner is taken]. Once the ball comes in then you’ve got to make the decision that’s the right decision.
“So I was disappointed with that. But it takes away a little bit from the fact that I didn’t feel we passed the ball well enough today. That was disappointing.”
Image: Millwall FC