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Sheffield Wednesday and Luton bemused by ‘strange decisions’ from referee

Sheffield Wednesday and Luton Town have both been left bemused by ‘strange decisions’ from referee Gavin Ward on Saturday.

The Championship clash saw Carlton Morris strike twice, the first a penalty, in the last 15 minutes minutes of the game, as the Hatters came back from one down to take all three points and secure their first home victory of the season.

Ward sent off Di’Shon Bernard and awarded Luton a penalty with the Sheffield Wednesday defender adjudged to have handled on the line when replays was sees Bernard blocking the shot but with his shoulder.

10 minutes later, Carlton Morris scored from close range, with Wednesday players claiming the ball had hit the striker’s arm before he shot.

The referee’s decision making had Luton boss Rob Edwards hiding in the dugout a number of times to avoid being so riled that he could have ended up getting sent off.

Someone that did however get booked was Luton’s goalkeeping coach Kevin Pilkington for protesting on the sidelines.

Other odd calls, included Tahith Chong sliding in and toepoked the ball to team-mate Alfie Doughty, but caught his man in the follow through, Ward whistled for a foul against the Luton midfielder.

We also saw Chong barged are trying to get onto a throw-in, the referee again decided to play on.

This is when Luton’s goalkeeping coach was shown a yellow.

The referee blew his whistle for a foul against Elijah Adebayo over an off the ball incident.

Then Luton had been given a free kick, to which the referee received a standing ovation, reportedly 30 seconds long, from Kenilworth Road faithful.

Ward was booed off the pitch by the Luton fans come half time, and there was no chance to his odd decision making after the break, appeals turned away with Jordan Clark shoulder charged.

At the time of the Hatters being 1-0 down to Barry Bannan’s volley, Ward then booked two visiting players, Di’Shon Bernard and Svante Ingelsson.

Questioned over the referee, Luton boss Rob Edwards, said, per Luton Today: “I tried to sit down and remove myself from that today as well and really, really zoom into the game. I was pretty pleased I did that as I would probably have got sent off today, I think there were some strange decisions.”

Owls boss Danny Rohl spoke to Radio Sheffield over the controversial penalty decision and the red card: “Last week there was a 50/50 decision against us, today a 50/50 decision against us, but at the end we had three or four opportunities where we could score more and take a win – when you have two goals away it’s helpful to have two goals and be clinical. But all in all I can’t say much against my team, they invested and I think the supporters recognise this today…

“I think these are always 50/50, but when I look to our box at the corner we have Dish two times going down and there is nothing, then it’s a little bit hard to take… The players on the pitch should decide the game, and not someone else, and this is a pity today.”

Danny Rohl said, per the club website: “We were the better team but we lost.

“The direction, the improvement, we are investing, it’s all there and we are taking steps forward and it’s what I want to see.

“But at the moment we are lacking that final part to take the wins.

“But we have to keep working in this way and we will get the points.

“I think last week we had a 50-50 decision that went against us and today another 50-50 decision against us but we had three or four opportunities to score more.

“To take the win away you need to be clinical but all in all I cannot say anything against my team, they keep invest, invest, invest and our supporters recognised this today. It is a big pity.”

Rohl continued: “After the equaliser, the pressure goes higher and higher and you hear the crowd come into the game more and more.

“It’s hard then, they get the moments but even after 2-1 we had another opportunity to make the equaliser but we fight to the end.

“Until the red card we were the better team, we controlled the game, we had a good pressing, we had the structure and were always dangerous.

“But at the end we have lost the game and now we need to keep going.

“We need the team togetherness and we will come through, if we fight like this then results will come.”

Luton’s Rob Edwards said per the club website: “It was far from the performance we wanted in the last two games but we’ve won both. We need to build momentum and confidence as it’s been a difficult start.

“We didn’t start with the intensity we wanted, and when you don’t get that it gives the opposition a lift and our crowd are then thinking ‘come on’.

“But we shot ourselves in the foot for their goal and it was hard to try and wrestle back momentum.

“We got back in it, somehow, and that, along with the red card and the impact from the substitutes, was great.

“It’s been hard leaving people out but when you get reactions like that, it’s amazing.

“We’ve ticked off a few boxes now, we got the first win and first away win last week and now we’ve got the first home win and hopefully that can kick us on.

“But if you don’t play with that intensity then we’re going to make it difficult for ourselves. We know we can’t be perfect all the time – we’ve just got to try and find that right recipe.

“It’s good to win when you’re not quite at your best, especially as I think there’s more to come from this group.”

He said, per Sky Sports: “I thought the best section of the game was the last 15 minutes of the first half, where I thought we got the pressing and intensity right.

“We were pushing, had set-pieces and we had a couple of good moves that we almost got in with, but it was difficult to get behind them and yes it was tough, really tough.

“We didn’t start with the intensity that we wanted and if we don’t have that then it probably gives them a lift, our crowd are then thinking, ‘come on,’ and the first 20 minutes was difficult.

“We shot ourselves in the foot with the goal that we conceded and then it’s hard, something’s gone against us again and we need to try and wrestle back some momentum again.

“There’s no doubt then we were pushing, we were trying, forced a way somehow, the header was going in from Macca before he stuck his arm out, so that’s a goal, we’re back in the game and then with the red card.

“I thought the impact that the subs made was great and that’s what we want. We’ve got a squad for a reason. It’s difficult to leave certain people out, but then when you get reactions like that, it’s amazing.”

Here’s how fans reacted with Sheffield Wednesday and Luton bemused by ‘strange decisions’ from the referee…

@uptheluton: Ref was awful, subs were exceptional. Onto Plymouth! 🧡

@Richiec85: Don’t let that mask an awful performance for 75 minutes until an awful decision from the ref. Never a pen, never a red. 11 v 11 we come away with nothing.

@HidesDaniel15: 2-1 to the referee

@swfcTS: @metpoliceuk daylight robbery, needs sorting out

@samj210599: How much did you pay him then? Robbed us

@aaron55599: Well done for sucking the refs cock didn’t realise handball was your shoulder

@WindassHelen: Unfair defeat gutted! Played well things will turn! Ref shocking

@danryanbenson: Really tough one to take, we were so improved today but absolutely robbed by a horrendous referee. Never a penalty in a million years let alone a sending off. I’m hoping we can appeal that red card because I don’t think we can afford to lose Bernard for 3 games.

@DanWFA: that ref should be sacked

@KB_1867: robbed. so undeserved

@_CharlieThePooh: very cruel, but we shouldn’t let it take away from what we did right. lots to build on (if we can avoid getting robbed)

@Vancouverowls: Win for the refs

@roblittlewood: Referee caved in to all the booing from the home end. Not a penalty or red card and their second is handball. Played ok today. Didn’t deserve that.

@Cetologist1867: No way a penalty. Ref needs glasses! 🫣

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