‘There must be a voodoo doll’ – Paul Lambert rues referee decisions

Posted Sunday, November 08, 2020 by PA

Ipswich manager Paul Lambert was dismayed at two crucial refereeing decisions which went against his side in Portsmouth’s 3-2 extra-time victory in the FA Cup first round.

He claimed there was an offside decision not given for Sean Raggett’s 111th-minute winner and also questioned referee Andy Haines turning down a penalty decision when Oli Hawkins appeared to have his shirt tugged by Pompey’s Danish defender Rasmus Nicolaisen.

Lambert said: “It’s incredible, I’m smiling because I can’t actually believe it. There must be a voodoo doll somewhere or someone has done something.

“Listen, they have made a call but it’s incredible, it really, really is. I just don’t know how they can get it wrong.

“But the football we are playing is incredible and I love watching it.

“We have had a lot of decisions going against us at the minute but football-wise, the way we are playing is good.

“We changed a lot of the guys from the other night as we have guys carrying little (injuries) and we could not take a risk.

“They kept the same team and we changed and due to injuries and suspensions and things like that, we had guys who had not played a lot of minutes.

“I never get any game when we don’t want to win and I thought we were in the ascendancy in the second half and could have gone on to win it. You want to progress in the cup as much as you can.”

Town had fought back from two goals down in the opening 13 minutes following goals from Ronan Curtis and Tom Naylor.

Jon Nolan scored just before the break and substitute James Norwood in the 66th minute but Raggett proved to be the match-winner in extra time.

Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett said it was a “great game” and would have delighted both sets of fans if they had been able to attend.

“It was a great game, both sides really went for it,” he said. “It was two good teams, very good teams.

“I thought overall first half we had the better of it, second half Ipswich came into it and then in extra time we had some very good chances. With them at home it was going end to end but a terrific game, a very good attitude by our players.

“We have had plenty of decisions go against us, particularly at Fratton Park this year that we would have got.

“There’s been a lot of games and a lot of travelling but I am pleased with the boys.

“We really dug in and had a lot of spirit and I thought overall it was two good teams, Ipswich and Portsmouth were both good today, a very good advert for (League One), although it was a cup game.

“It would have been great if both fans could have been here as they would have enjoyed what was a fantastic cup tie.”