Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher disagrees with the penalty awarded during the Bristol City vs. Huddersfield Town match, which ended in a 1-1 draw with a late goal by Nahki Wells. The controversial decision occurred in the 101st minute when Ollie Turton was deemed to have handled the ball, leading to discussions and queries after the game.
Gallagher, a veteran Premier League referee with 15 years of experience, criticized the decision as a “misjudgement” by referee Rebecca Welch. He argued that Turton’s arm position didn’t make his body unnaturally bigger or was justifiable considering his falling motion, making it a questionable call for a penalty.
Huddersfield was particularly disappointed with the outcome, as a win would have lifted them out of the relegation zone. However, Bristol City’s unbeaten run extended to five matches ahead of their next game against Norwich City.
While there was some consensus within Bristol City’s camp that it was a penalty, head coach Liam Manning admitted he hadn’t reviewed the incident yet. He acknowledged the difficulty in making such calls and credited Welch for her decision if she genuinely believed it was a penalty.
Interestingly, Wells’ goal from the penalty spot marked Bristol City’s sixth penalty goal of the season, ranking them among the top teams in penalty conversions alongside Leeds and Sunderland, with only Leicester City having scored more.
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