Ex-PGMOL boss reviews huge late controversy in Middlesbrough v Plymouth

19/04/2025 17:00

Middlesbrough beat Plymouth Argyle thanks to a last-minute penalty at The Riverside Stadium, and Keith Hackett has given his reaction to the decision to award that spot kick.

The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that referee Anthony Backhouse was right to give the spot kick, and to send off Joe Edwards in that incident.

Michael Carrick‘s side kept their hopes of claiming a Championship play-off place alive on Friday (18 April) with a 2-1 win over the struggling Pilgrims.

However, Middlesbrough needed a late and somewhat contentiously-awarded penalty in order to secure that victory.

Plymouth fume over late penalty and red card

The hosts had taken an early lead in this game through Finn Azaz, who Middlesbrough signed when Aston Villa cut short his loan spell with Plymouth back in January 2024.

Shortly before half time Miron Muslic’s side equalised thanks to Mustapha Bundu, ensuring the two teams went in level at the break.

After half time, Middlesbrough were denied a penalty when former Plymouth man Morgan Whittaker went down inside the penalty area as his side chased the lead, a decision Hackett disagreed with.

In stoppage time though, ‘Boro would get the penalty they needed to score the winner they craved, as Tommy Conway received the ball just inside the box.

The striker then went to ground theatrically after a push from Plymouth captain Joe Edwards, prompting referee Backhouse to point to the spot.

Edwards was also shown a straight red card after being deemed to have prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity, with Conway then converting from the spot to snatch a late win for his side.

But with replays indicating that the contact on the striker was minimal, there has been some debate about the award of that penalty to Middlesbrough.

Hackett though, believes the decisions both to award the spot kick and send off Edwards were the correct ones.

‘Middlesbrough winner fairly awarded via the spot’ – Keith Hackett

After being asked by Football Insider what he made of those decisions and if Backhouse could have been making up for the penalty he previously had not given, the former referee said:

“The defender on that penalty decision is the wrong side of the attacker and makes a careless challenge resulting in the award of a penalty kick.

“The referee then has to consider the denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity criteria. The first part of the process is did the defender make a genuine attempt to play for or challenge for the ball.

“The answer is no hence the red card. Had the defender made a genuine attempt to play the ball and not the man the sanction would have been a yellow card not a red.

“When referees might think that they got one wrong later in the game they have to park it and not dwell on an error. Satisfied that he was correct on the second one.”

While that win keeps Middlesbrough in the race for the play-offs, defeat ensures Plymouth remain bottom of the table, three points from safety with three games of the season remaining.

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