The controversy surrounding referee Sam Allison’s decisions dominated the post-match discussions following Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Stoke City at Hillsborough on Saturday. Both managers, Narcís Pèlac of Stoke City and Danny Röhl of Sheffield Wednesday, expressed their confusion and frustration with Allison’s calls, particularly the missed penalty for Stoke City when Barry Bannan handled the ball in his own box.
Pèlac was visibly upset with the referee’s performance, which he believed had a significant impact on the game. “We had a clear chance when Tom Cannon was against the keeper, and then we had another one when the referee called an offside, but it was not,” Pèlac said. “The man was sent off, and from there, it was different. We should have had something, but the referee didn’t whistle for the penalty.”
Röhl, on the other hand, seemed more amused by the controversy, smiling and shaking his head when asked about the penalty decision. “I didn’t see, I don’t know if it was a pen or not,” Röhl said. “Sometimes it’s a bit strange! In the end, we don’t have to speak about this because everything is good, and it’s easy to say ‘OK, it doesn’t matter’.”
The win was a much-needed boost for Sheffield Wednesday, who have been struggling with their home form. For Stoke City, however, the defeat marked their eighth match without a win, leaving them hovering above the relegation zone. Pèlac’s frustration with the referee’s decisions was palpable, but he refused to make excuses for his team’s performance. “We must not switch off,” Pèlac said. “We started well in the first part of the game, and then we lost our head a little bit.”