Leeds United 2 Charlton Athletic 2: Redfearn calls for consistency
Yorkshire Evening Post 5/11/14Neil Redfearn was left wanting consistency after his Leeds side twice threw away a lead and drew 2-2 with Charlton.
After two brilliant curlers from Alex Mowatt had twice put Leeds ahead, Johann Berg Gudmundsson - who had equalised when Marco Silvestri let one in at his near post - levelled for a second time from the spot.
Referee Graham Salisbury gave the penalty after Giuseppe Bellusci tangled with Tal Ben Haim in the area, leaving Redfearn and his players to question the merit of the decision.
“It’s a performance gained, we were the better side by a straight. They’re a good side but we were better and deserved to win,” said Redfearn, who is settling into the role of permanent head coach after a previously successful caretaker spell.
“What I would say is this; referees have to be more consistent. They are thousands of decisions like that in the Football League every weekend. I would say to the Football League they (referees) need to be more consistent. You can’t isolate one incident and give it, because it looks unfair.
“It looked like they were both at it. And that’s frustrating because we deserved to win. That’s taking nothing away from but we looked more like ourselves tonight, more like in my first caretaker spell.”
That spell yielded 10 points from 12 but the six-game reign of Darko Milanic coupled with Saturday’s loss at Cardiff and this point means Leeds are eight without a win.
“The harder we work the luckier we will get,” Redfearn said.
“It’s time for a win but we have to keep going down these lines. We are a wounded animal at the minute but I won’t let them rest. I will make them better.”
Bob Peeters did not see the penalty incident, with the Charlton boss preoccupied at the time.
“I don’t know what happened as I was looking (elsewhere) as a player (Rhoys Wiggins) was injured. I didn’t know it was a penalty, I didn’t see what happened and none of the players have said,” he said.
The Belgian felt, though, that his men were worthy of a point, regardless of whether or not the penalty was a just one.
“In the first half they didn’t have many chance, we didn’t have many, but we knew we had quality on the bench,” he said.
“At that moment (0-0) we had control, kept possession and then they scored a good goal. That cut our legs but we scored, were back in control and were looking good and I think 2-1 for us would have been more justified that 2-1 for them.
“But they got another good goal and you can’t do anything when they put it in the top corner from 25 yards, a beautiful goal and you give him a hand of applause.
“But whether it is justified or not we got a penalty and deserved a point.”