Lee Mason overturned his initial decision to award Huddersfield a penalty at Cardiff
Saturday 12 January 2019 18:50, UK
Huddersfield manager David Wagner believes his side were "1000 per cent" denied a penalty in the 0-0 draw with Cardiff.
What had been a dreary Premier League affair low on quality produced a major 76th-minute talking point when Mason pointed to the penalty spot after Florent Hadergjonaj had tumbled in the box.
Several Cardiff players rushed towards Mason's assistant Stuart Burt in the corner and the referee soon made his way there for a consultation.
Mason then dramatically reversed his decision and penalised Hadergjonaj for fouling Joe Bennett rather than the other way round, much to the bemusement of Wagner on the touchline.
"I think the footage speaks for itself," the Huddersfield boss said. "It was clear holding and 1000 per cent a penalty from my point of view. The referee has seen it and the referee has given it. Then for whatever reason, the linesman had an opinion as well.
"He said to me the first one wasn't a penalty and the second one I haven't seen - I don't know exactly what he meant. We will obviously speak to him because it is a decision that is anything but understandable and it's cost us points today.
"To be totally honest, I don't know how many times this has now happened to us or against us. I don't know why. You will have to ask the men in black."
Huddersfield along with Burnley are the only sides not to have been awarded a penalty this season, and it always looked like a set piece would decide this cagey affair in south Wales.
Elias Kachunga and Steve Mounie both had half-chances before Neil Etheridge kept out Laurent Depoitre's stoppage-time header but Huddersfield can take consolation from having ended an appalling run of eight straight defeats.
But one point is not of much use in the Terriers' current predicament, especially with Manchester City, Everton, Chelsea and Arsenal looming into sight on their fixture list.
Wagner added: "Performance-wise and in terms of attitude, I think we left everything out on the grass. There was only one team who deserved to get anything out of this game.
"We looked solid and looked to play football. We had the chance with the penalty but for some reason the referee hasn't given it to us.
"A point is not enough - this is the truth. We had to win this game today, this point is not enough. I have players in my mind [to improve the team] but I've had them in my mind for a long period.
"Nothing has happened so far and right now we all just have to reflect on this game, and the result, and we all have to come together and come up with a solution."
