Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett has praised Jayden Bogle for not getting involved in Leeds United’s equaliser against Queens Park Rangers.
The Whites had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Loftus Road, missing the chance to go seven points clear of the play-offs. The hosts scored the opening goal inside 17 minutes before Steve Cook equalised on the half-hour mark.
Junior Firpo thought he had pulled a goal back for his side but it later went down as an own goal from Morgan Fox as Leeds trailed 2-1 at the break. There were appeals for an offside when Bogle was at the back post.However, he didn’t get involved in play and the goal stood. Speaking to MOT Leeds News after the game, Hackett reacted to the footage.
“Good goal and a very good decision from the assistant referee not to flag,” he said. “Whilst in an offside position, that is not an offence unless he becomes active and interferes with an opponent. It was going in and he did well not to play it. Had he touched the ball, then he would be given offside.”
Leeds then levelled on 51 minutes when QPR ‘keeper Paul Nardi palmed into the path of Bogle from a close-range Solomon effort. The right-back then made no mistake to rescue a point for the Whites.
As it stands, Daniel Farke’s men are just two points clear of second-placed Burnley. The Clarets are 2-0 up against Swansea City (at the time of writing). Third-placed Sheffield United will be in action on Sunday lunchtime (12.30pm).Farke admitted feeling angry after the game, however. “I am angry with myself because until the early hours I was thinking about bringing Gruev in for our defensive side to show resilience,” he stated.
“I had the green light from the medics that everyone was good to go. I was a bit too greedy and wanted to dominate the game. Once you’re then 2-0 down, then you have to take some risks and not be defensive. So it was a bit too late to play a role [for Gruev].”
