Crystal Palace 2 Leeds 2: Holloway facing action after storming on to confront ref
Mail 9/3/13
Ian Holloway was unimpressed by referee Dean Whitestone after his Crystal Palace side needed an 84th-minute equaliser to deny Leeds a fourth away win of the season.
Two goals by Steve Morison were cancelled out by another double from Palace's Glenn Murray, but the draw prevented the home side from seizing one of the automatic promotion places.
Holloway vented his anger on the pitch after the game, unhappy at what he believed was inconsistency shown by the referee, and felt Leeds should have had two men sent off. 'I felt some of the decisions had a huge bearing on the game.
'I thought I saw Luke Varney foul Johnnie Williams from behind, a blatant yellow card.
'Two minutes later, Varney dived and got given a yellow card so he should have been off. Two minutes later, Wilfried Zaha goes straight through and gets scythed down but Stephen Warnock gets only a yellow. If that's not a goalscoring opportunity, then I don't know what the rules are.
'Unfortunately, I'm pretty bemused wondering how we were behind in the game. I'm delighted we came back, but I was a little bit aggrieved - we missed too many chances.'
With early efforts by Kagisho Dikgacoi and Murray, Palace were clearly intending to build on their 4-2 win against Hull earlier in the week.
Top scorer Murray added to his impressive tally this season in the 27th minute when he took advantage of slack marking by the Leeds defence to nod home a cross by Williams.
Morison levelled after 56 minutes when he controlled a cross by Varney and slotted home for only his second goal since joining from Norwich in January.
The second Leeds goal was the result of some shocking Palace defending, when they failed to deal with a long punt, letting in Morison to slot home without unchallenged.
But Palace were not going to give up their unbeaten record at home since the first day of the season without a fight and, with only seven minutes remaining, Murray arrived at the far post to lash in Damien Delaney's cross, bringing his total to 30 for the season.
Leeds manager Neil Warnock, who was Palace boss from 2007-2010, was keen to wish his old side well in their promotion push afterwards, but was quick to dismiss the refereeing complaints by Holloway.
He said: 'Palace are a good team, I hope they go up. But I don't see Holloway complaining with a couple of decisions in the first half.
'They're used to winning here but they didn't deserve to win this game.
'Varney didn't have to dive, but in the first half he got fouled and there was no free-kick. I don't condone diving, though.'
Warnock reserved special praise for his goalscorer, adding: 'I think Morison has been very good since he's been here. It's what he puts into the team. He's a real team player.'
Ian Holloway was unimpressed by referee Dean Whitestone after his Crystal Palace side needed an 84th-minute equaliser to deny Leeds a fourth away win of the season.
Two goals by Steve Morison were cancelled out by another double from Palace's Glenn Murray, but the draw prevented the home side from seizing one of the automatic promotion places.
Holloway vented his anger on the pitch after the game, unhappy at what he believed was inconsistency shown by the referee, and felt Leeds should have had two men sent off. 'I felt some of the decisions had a huge bearing on the game.
'I thought I saw Luke Varney foul Johnnie Williams from behind, a blatant yellow card.
'Two minutes later, Varney dived and got given a yellow card so he should have been off. Two minutes later, Wilfried Zaha goes straight through and gets scythed down but Stephen Warnock gets only a yellow. If that's not a goalscoring opportunity, then I don't know what the rules are.
'Unfortunately, I'm pretty bemused wondering how we were behind in the game. I'm delighted we came back, but I was a little bit aggrieved - we missed too many chances.'
With early efforts by Kagisho Dikgacoi and Murray, Palace were clearly intending to build on their 4-2 win against Hull earlier in the week.
Top scorer Murray added to his impressive tally this season in the 27th minute when he took advantage of slack marking by the Leeds defence to nod home a cross by Williams.
Morison levelled after 56 minutes when he controlled a cross by Varney and slotted home for only his second goal since joining from Norwich in January.
The second Leeds goal was the result of some shocking Palace defending, when they failed to deal with a long punt, letting in Morison to slot home without unchallenged.
But Palace were not going to give up their unbeaten record at home since the first day of the season without a fight and, with only seven minutes remaining, Murray arrived at the far post to lash in Damien Delaney's cross, bringing his total to 30 for the season.
Leeds manager Neil Warnock, who was Palace boss from 2007-2010, was keen to wish his old side well in their promotion push afterwards, but was quick to dismiss the refereeing complaints by Holloway.
He said: 'Palace are a good team, I hope they go up. But I don't see Holloway complaining with a couple of decisions in the first half.
'They're used to winning here but they didn't deserve to win this game.
'Varney didn't have to dive, but in the first half he got fouled and there was no free-kick. I don't condone diving, though.'
Warnock reserved special praise for his goalscorer, adding: 'I think Morison has been very good since he's been here. It's what he puts into the team. He's a real team player.'