Fans are repremanded when they insight trouble, and players.......... why not referees!?

It was a fantatsic game and it was a fantastic atmosphere until referee Andy D'Urso lost control when he allowed Sheff United players to have extended celebration for the first goal infront of the Barnsley fans (in the ponty end, I might add). I would suggest it took at least 40seconds, maybe even a minute for the restart. After 10-15seconds Barnsley fans started to boo...... then further united players decided to join in the celebrations and at no point did referee D'Urso attempt to hurry the united players along. This just proves another inconsistency in referees as in 99.9% of games players would have been booked for such an offence.

The decision not to book players or allow them to time waste by celebrating the goal changed the atmosphere in Oakwell and infuriated barnsley players and fans alike. The restart took so long that I was concerned that their may have been a pitch invasion. Thats how bad I felt it was!

Tensions were high as they always are in derby games and their were alot of fouls going unpunished and both players were starting to get frustrated. This is what lead to the sendings off, put simply the ref had lost control. I'm all for letting play flow but a there is a point at which you need to stamp your authority before any dangerous play creeps in players.

Shortly after the sendings off Chris Morgan clearly elbowed Hume. A clear red in my eyes, lead with the arm and Hume was so shaken by the foul that he had to be taken off.

Thankfully for the majority of the second half, the players went back to playing football. One incident I would mention is not the penalty, I've seen the replay still not sure but it was given so I'll have to accept that. What about the clash between Kozzy and the United player after it was given? Nothing! Kozzy walked past one of the United players, they exchenaged words and it looked like they brushed shoulders. Only just mind, the United player went down like he'd been shot by a sniper! and no action was taken by the ref. Surely either Kozzy had to walk or the United player had to be booked for diving!! I'm not saying their wasn't contact but it was clear to me that he had taken a dive!

All in all a great game between two good teams, Sheff United did show their class for the first goal but I felt a draw would have been a fair result. But sadly yet again I felt Premiership Ref couldn't cope in the Championship and spoilt the game. If the instances above would have been in the premiership I have no doubt their would have been an enquiry and it would have been main topic on MOTD.


Bring on the return leg at Bramall Lane.