Ex-PGMOL chief supports red card after Patrick Bamford incident in Sheffield United win vs Stoke City
Keith Hackett has insisted that referee John Busby was right to send Stoke City’s Ben Pearson off after he took down Sheffield United striker Patrick Bamford in Monday’s clash.
The ex-PGMOL chief has exclusively told Football Insider that Pearson denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity with his challenge on Bamford and so deserved to be shown a red card.
Stoke and Sheffield United faced off at the bet365 Stadium on Monday night as they both aimed to pick up vital points in their respective promotion hunts.
It was the Blades who came out on top by a 2-1 scoreline, as goals from Jairo Reidewald and Tom Cannon were enough to seal the three points, despite Ben Wilmot’s late strike for the hosts.
A tense affair saw the Potters pushing for an equaliser in the closing stages, and it was their desire to score which saw Pearson caught out as he lost possession and took Bamford down as he went through on goal.
Pearson was sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity for Bamford
Bamford has shone since joining Sheffield United last month, but he started on the bench against Stoke and had barely had a touch of the ball before effectively being through on goal in the 88th minute.
It was Pearson’s loose pass to an opponent that had seen him threaded through, and the Potters midfielder felt he had no other choice but to haul him down just past the halfway line.
Tomas Rigo was the only other Stoke player near the ball, but referee Busby felt he was not close enough to the action and that Pearson had fulfilled the quota for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO), and so brandished the red card.
It was Stoke’s second red of the season after Divin Mubama was sent off for a second yellow card after diving against Southampton, with Mark Robins‘ side losing more ground on the top six after the defeat.
Hackett hails Busby for ‘correct’ call to send Pearson off
Pearson is well-known for his mean streak, and he will now be banned for Stoke’s trip to Hull City on New Year’s Day following the dismissal.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former PGMOL boss and ex-FIFA referee Hackett insisted that he felt the right decision had been reached by referee Busby to hand the Potters man his marching orders.
He said: “The referee, in determining that a player has met the criteria for the Denial of an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO), must consider the following…
“Distance between the offence and the goal, general direction of the play, likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball, location and number of defenders.
“Looking at the incident, I am satisfied that the referee was correct to send off the player for DOGSO.”