SHEFFIELD UNITED PLAYED Brentford in a 0-0 draw in League One last night and it was referee Eddie Ilderton who grabbed the headlines.
Blades defender Kieron Freeman was shown a straight red card after appearing to bring Marcello Trotta down inside the box and Brentford were awarded a penalty.
However, as Freeman walked off the pitch, the referee consulted his assistant and, incredibly, decided to rescind both the red card and the spot-kick.
A drop-ball followed, Irish midfielder Jonathan Douglas booted it wide in disgust and the game continued with a goal kick.
“He has to be commended for putting it right,” Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough told the BBC.
We wish he hadn’t got it that wrong in the first place, but he waited in the tunnel and talked to the lads at half-time and said he had a bad angle, so that is absolutely fine, everyone got on with the game. But it was very, very brave and the correct thing to do.
“If he’d have just given himself 30 seconds … but as long as you get the right decision in the end, that’s the main thing.”
Brentford manager Mark Warburton added: ”I have never seen anything like that in my life before.
“The obvious thing to do is just take your time and go over and speak to your linesman and then make your decision.
“But he has brandished the red card and given the penalty and all of a sudden we end up with a drop ball. It was absolutely bizarre, I have never seen anything like it before.”
Full marks to Ilderton for swiftly righting the wrong he had made. If only Andre Marriner had done the same a couple of weeks ago…
(h/t: 101GreatGoals)
