Boro boss says decision not to send off Huddersfield defender for foul on Harrison was ‘bewildering’

BORO boss Graham Westley felt Huddersfield defender Antony Kay should have been sent off for the foul on Byron Harrison which led to a late penalty at the Galpharm Stadium on Saturday.

Huddersfield were leading 2-1 when Kay, as the last defender, tugged Harrison back just eight yards from goal, and although referee Steven Rushton whistled for a penalty which was missed by John Mousinho he only showed Kay a yellow card despite the defender denying Harrison a goalscoring opportunity.

Westley said afterwards that Kay should have gone, and revealed that Huddersfield boss Lee Clark had told him as much on the touchline.

“There’s a goalscoring opportunity for Byron Harrison. The penalty is given and Lee Clark says to me ‘he’s got to go, if you give the penalty he’s got to go’, and the player stays on the pitch.

“Now does that make a difference to the game, you can argue not, but we could have had five minutes, six minutes playing against 10 men so of course it makes a difference to the game.

“So I think if you look at that situation in itself you have got to say that there are decisions that are surprising. I’m not knocking the referee, I like the referee. I think he’s a good referee, but I think that decision is bewildering.”