Stoke boss Michael O’Neill was clearly not happy after the last minute penalty award against his side gave the Swans a valuable win at the Bet365 Stadium but cost his side a point when he felt that they had done enough to earn three.
The Stoke boss saw his side hit the post twice and waste other good chances during the game only to come undone when Jack Clarke was adjudged to have fouled Kyle Naughton in the penalty area giving Andre Ayew the chance to score the last minute winner from the spot.
O’Neill claimed a foul on James Chester by Ayew in the build up as well as disputing that Naughton was caught by Clarke but the foul on Chester was quickly dismissed by the Sky pundits after the game although many fans felt it was a weak penalty but I do think as well there is a story to be told by the reaction of Clarke as Naughton goes down.
“I think we did enough in the game to win it. We hit the bar, we hit the post, we defended well when we had to against a good team and then ultimately the referee gives a penalty, which is clearly not a penalty,” O’Neill said after the game.
“Obviously Naughton has got through on Jack Clarke, but in the lead up to it there’s a clear foul on James Chester where Andre Ayew runs into James and throws himself to the ground in an attempt to win a free-kick.
“James subsequently heads the ball into an area where they pick it up, and then shortly after, the ball ends up in the area of the pitch where the penalty is given.
“To give a penalty in that situation is gut-wrenching really because it’s very unfair on the players and ultimately it decides the game. Referees shouldn’t be deciding games, players decide games.”
Of course there is more than a large dollop of irony when listening to people talking about disputed penalties between Swansea and Stoke – maybe, just maybe these things do even themselves out after all!