LEEDS fans fumed at Sky Sports analyst Andy Hinchcliffe during last night’s clash with Bristol City.
Daniel Farke’s men travelled to Ashton Gate knowing that a win, at least temporarily, would see them leapfrog Ipswich into second.
The match was televised on Sky Sports, with former Manchester City, Everton and Sheffield Wednesday defender Hinchcliffe on co-commentary duties.
With the match still goalless in the 36th minute, Georginio Rutter appeared to be wiped out in the box by George Tanner.
Referee Stephen Martin waved away Leeds’ appeals.
Hinchcliffe, 54, initially claimed that Tanner had won the ball.
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After seeing a replay he changed his mind, but still maintained that the referee had made the correct decision.
He said: “I’m not so sure actually whether he does touch the ball, Tanner.
“But I feel that Rutter is looking to go down. The challenge comes in, is there any clear contact?
“Does the contact send Rutter to the ground? I don’t think that it does, I think Rutter is looking for this.
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“He feels the challenge come in and then he exaggerates the fall. He’s not had his legs taken away from him.”
Leeds fans watching at home couldn’t believe what they were hearing, believing their £35million man to have clearly been wiped out in the box.
One wrote on social media: “We reckon you need to rethink your Championship commentary team!”
While a second sarcastically posted: “Glad Andy Hinchcliffe can put his bias against Leeds to one side whilst commentating.”
A third fumed: “I reckon you need to appoint someone who doesn’t have an anti-Leeds agenda to do co-comms, maybe someone who is totally impartial in fact.”
And a fourth commented: “That commentators take on that is wild, stonewaller.”
Another added: “All three studio pundits think it was a pen but good old Andy Hinchcliffe thinks there was no contact and went down too easy!”
The controversial incident went on to not matter, with Leeds grabbing all three points courtesy of Wilfried Gnonto’s 47th minute winner.
After the game, a delighted Farke told the BBC: “I think it was nearly the perfect away performance.
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“We perhaps took 10, 15 minutes to come into this game but there was so many things I liked today – all the pressing, counter-pressing, our possession, our transition moments, the fighting spirit.
“I think we were so dominant, created out of more or less each and possible situation, transition moments, set-pieces, possession, through the centre of the wings, so many chances.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
