Hull boss Tim Walter says referee apologised after controversial winner for Sunderland

Yesterday at 01:25 PM

Hull boss Tim Walter says referee Bobby Madeley apologised for inadvertently having a hand in Sunderland’s winning goal on Sunday.

The Black Cats finish the weekend top of the Championship with a 1-0 win at the KCOM Stadium.

The goal was scored by Wilson Isidor, who brilliantly ran with the ball from his own half before expertly dinking it over Ivor Pandur in the Hull goal.

However, it came with plenty of controversy as Sunderland’s counter-attack from a short Hull corner was aided when midfielder Xavier Simons got dispossessed on the edge of the Sunderland box after Madeley stood in his way.

And the furious Walter criticised Madeley for not being well-prepared or positioned enough.

“I have to stay over here,” Walter told talkSPORT after the game. “You better ask the referee why. So, he apologised for the situation, but that doesn’t help at the moment.”

When asked what incident specifically Madeley apologised for, Walter said: “Which one? Maybe for the whole game, but it is like it is and we have to accept it. Everybody can make mistakes. All I said is that you have been better prepared for the situation.

“If you saw a lot of games from us, or maybe in the time before I worked in Hamburg, I did the same, so maybe then you would know that we played the set-pieces also short.

“You have to find a better position, he said he was well prepared, but unfortunately not.”

Walter continued: “It was the best phase for us. We had really good balance. We kept the ball really long and we tried to create it.

“Maybe we didn’t find the best decision in the last third, but to come to the last third and try to be more dangerous in the last third, it is also a good way.

“But like I said, today it was maybe more luck on the other side. That is what we are trying to change for Wednesday and then we keep going.”

Sunderland star Luke O’Nien took a different view, however, as he appeared to suggest Madeley was well positioned.

O’Nien also believes that regardless of whether Hull were infringed by the official it wouldn’t have made a difference, such is Isidor’s devastating pace.

O’Nien told Sky Sports: “I thought the ref was great. I thought it was good positioning from him.”

“To be honest, I haven’t seen it… I didn’t know he was in the way! But it wouldn’t have mattered, Wilson is that fast, no one’s catching him.”

O’Nien added: “We worked hard on transitions this week. Every time the ball drops put it in behind.

“Wilson’s so fast. Honestly, he burns us all in training and he got his just rewards for working really hard.

“Great finish, especially running away from their full-back, who’s fast as well. Some goal from him.”