Megson in call for video help

Man United 2, Bolton W 0

AN IMPASSIONED plea was made for the introduction of video technology after the latest refereeing howler from Rob Styles.

The call came from Bolton boss Gary Megson after his side were victims of a miscarriage of justice after conceding a penalty that never was.

Not for the first time in his career, Styles was at the centre of controversy when his spot-kick award clearly changed the course of the game which was goalless after almost an hour.

Television replays proved conclusively that JLloyd Samuel made contact with the ball before Cristiano Ronaldo went sprawling to the ground.

And to make the penalty award even more bizarre, there were no appeals from Ronaldo or his team-mates.

Ronaldo scored from the spot and United went on to win the game comfortably. But it would have been interesting to see how the final half-hour had panned out had they not received a helping hand from Styles.

Megson said: “At the time I didn’t think it was close to being a penalty and I thought the referee was contemplating booking Ronaldo for diving, which would have also been wrong.

“It was a ridiculous decision and there was astonishment from everybody when it was given.

“Goals change games and once United scored we had to open up to try for an equaliser. And then you saw a top-class United team which had a lot of space to play in.”

Megson added that at the end of the season, where there were issues like diving, feigning injury and video technology to helps referees, it “sticks in the throat” that the only initiative introduced was ‘respect for referees.’

He continued: “I would rather see the game being stop-start and seeing it right, as I am sure everybody would.

“If technology took a long time and made it less of a spectacle for supporters then that wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

“But it seems to me television can do it so quickly, as we have seen in cricket and rugby, so why don’t we use it? “

Sir Alex Ferguson was somewhat embarrassed and apologetic, admitting he didn’t even think it was a spot kick. He said: “I haven’t see it again but I was surprised because it looked to me like the player got a foot on the ball.

“Rob turned down four or five penalties for us last year so may be it was pay back.”

Ferguson added he thought his team would have won the game in any event though he conceded that, with Bolton defending so doggedly, his side needed a break to end the stalemate.

Indeed, Bolton earlier had the best chance of the game and, had Fabrice Muamba not missed an open goal from eight yards just before half time, it would have been even more jittery second spell for the Reds.

The penalty kick-started United, as did the introduction of substitutes Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes.

That was epitomised by their second goal after 77 minutes which Rooney started and finished following a flowing move as he was released by Ronaldo’s back heel, cut inside Kevin Nolan and curled an exquisite shot wide of keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Late on Scholes had two glorious chances to increase United’s lead as they ended in complete control, a contrast to the first hour when they again struggled for cohesion.