We are not sure if this was the right thing to do.
There was absolutely no shortage of drama in the Championship last night.
League leaders Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion both dropped points which means the rest of the chasing pack are closing in on the two teams who have set the pace for most of the season.
The Toon Army equalised in the 81st minute to rescue a point against Norwich City at Carrow Road but they will wonder what may have been considering they conceded an absolute shocker of a goal.
He tried to be Manuel Neuer. He failed https://t.co/K7YEGXKMmw
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) February 14, 2017
The Championship is often regarded as the most exciting league in England, considering the large amount of teams who are all in contention of gaining promotion to the Premier League.
Elsewhere in England’s second tier, struggling Blackburn Rovers faced the in-form Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
The home side recorded a 2-1 win but the visitors thought they had snatched an unlikely equaliser through midfielder, Hope Akpan.
Akpan’s goal was disallowed due a handball and the midfielder did not react well to the decision from referee, Scott Duncan.
https://twitter.com/R9Rai/status/831622281885519874
Akpan put his hands on the referee in protest against the decision. The 25-year-old was subsequently shown a red card for making contact with the referee.
However a lot of people watching the game were unimpressed with the way the referee reacted to being ‘pushed’.
https://twitter.com/RichardLogan88/status/831841849174347777
https://twitter.com/GungHoGallagher/status/831823634452840448
@HopeAkpan how on earth was that a sending off???? Referee should be embarrassed. Give himself a red card for diving. Hope it gets appealed.
— Ash Adair (@ashadair1) February 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/scouser_1987/status/831771026308608002
Thoughts with last nights referee this morning who I hear is recovering in hospital after @HopeAkpan 's vile assault #prayforref
— Sam Fox (@Roverfoxy) February 15, 2017
The man at the centre of the controversy offered an apology for his actions but at the same time states that he didn’t push the referee.
Apologise for last nights reaction, but I stand firm in the fact I know when I've pushed somebody and when I haven't. pic.twitter.com/bemgnxCAVA
— Hope Akpan (@HopeAkpan) February 15, 2017
You can see why Akpan may feel aggrieved but at the end of the day, you cannot lay your hands on the referee, regardless of the amount of the force which is applied.
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