Tony Mowbray seething with referee Keith Stroud following Blackburn Rovers’ goalless draw with Huddersfield Town

Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray says that the officiating of Keith Stroud was ’embarrassing at times’ during their 0-0 draw with Huddersfield Town at Ewood Park.

Rovers moved into the automatic promotion spots in the Championship table but were left rueing Stroud’s decision not to award a penalty in the first half when Chilean striker Ben Brereton-Diaz was bundled over inside the area.

Stroud also opted not to send Huddersfield striker Duane Holmes off after a late challenge in the closing stages, with replays showing that the former Derby County man was fortunate to have gotten away with a yellow card.

Post-match, Mowbray could not hide his fury at the refereeing display.

“I don’t want to sit here and hammer the referees, but I don’t know what game they watched today.

“It’s embarrassing at times. I’ve been involved in football for over 40 years and as a referee, you’ve got to know when a foul is a foul and when someone is trying to con you.

“Keith is an experienced official but today, he got a lot wrong and if I’m honest, I think he was trying to be too clever.”

After the penalty incident on the half-hour mark, Mowbray was shown a yellow card of his own by referee Stroud, with three Rovers players also booked during the game.

“I’ve watched the penalty incident back and it’s two penalties never mind one!

“Ben [Brereton-Diaz] stays on his feet from the first challenge, gets punished by not being awarded the penalty for being too honest, and then gets taken out again.

“Hopefully, he [Keith Stroud] is somewhere else next week.”

Meanwhile, the visiting Terriers were without manager Carlos Corberan after the Spaniard tested positive for COVID following Town’s last game at Nottingham Forest on December 30.

First-team coach Danny Schofield took charge on the day at Ewood Park and was in the hot seat post-match, taking a different view on proceedings to his opposite number Mowbray.

“Overall, I think that he [Stroud] refereed the game quite well, not very well though.

“I didn’t have a clear view of the penalty incident so I can’t comment. The only one I want to comment on is Duane’s [Holmes] foul towards the end.

“To me, he’s got a push and that’s why he’s gone into the back of the defender.”

Schofield also revealed that despite his absence, boss Corberan had a role to play in the game.

 

“Carlos is fine, he has mild symptoms of COVID but has been in regular contact with us as coaching staff in the build-up to help prepare for this game.

“I’ve spoken to him quite a lot today as well, he’s always on the phone, but I’ve not had chance to speak to him after the game just yet.

“I’m sure he’ll be giving me a call on my way home from here and chewing my ear off for the duration of the journey!”

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