Garry Monk left bemused at disallowed goal in draw with Burton

Posted Sunday, April 08, 2018 by PA

Garry Monk could hardly believe his eyes as Birmingham were surprisingly held to a 1-1 home draw by fellow relegation battlers Burton.

The Birmingham manager, who had previously witnessed three successive wins in Birmingham’s survival fight, was also bemused by the referee’s decision to deny them a fifth minute goal.

“It was hugely frustrating as it was clearly the wrong decision.” claimed Monk.

“I knew at the time it was a goal and also watching it back I had the same opinion.

“The referee actually plays a fantastic advantage. Jota was fouled but the ball went to Jeremie Boga who was well onside.

“So how the linesman came to that offside decision is quite baffling. In this of situation you need the linesman to be focused and he clearly wasn’t.

“A perfectly good goal was disallowed. Had we been given that goal at such an early stage it would have been an entirely different result.

“We are well aware of the chances we created we should have done better. We have to give credit to their goalkeeper as well even if he didn’t know much about the saves.

“In the end it was a good point to go from a losing position. I thought my players fought all the way to the end.”

Birmingham were saved from defeat by an 87th minute equaliser from striker Lukas Jutkiewicz who scored his first goal at St Andrew’s this season.

Burton had been on course for a shock win when Lloyd Dyer put them ahead two minutes into the second half after the bottom side had been subjected to almost non-stop attacking play by Birmingham.

Dyer netted his fourth goal in four games for Burton against Birmingham with the Brewers’ solitary shot on target compared to 13 recorded for the home side.

On Birmingham’s survival hopes Monk admitted: “It is still against us and all the remaining games will be tough. Hopefully we can maintain the mini run we are on at the moment. Perhaps the point taken in the Burton game will be vital come the end of the season.

“We are confident. We are fighting hard and that will see us through.”

Burton manager, Nigel Clough admitted: “In the course of the game Birmingham deserved a goal. They hit the post, had one disallowed and created a lot of problems for us.

“When you get so close we were unable to see the game through to the end. It was not through lack of effort and the equaliser was a brilliant header.

“We were under siege but we battled hard and could have won the game although I was disappointed with the way we played in the first half.”

Clough was full of praise for his goalkeeper Stephen Bywater, adding: “He was brilliant and it was his experience. He stands up to the pressure and he made some good saves.”

On Burton’s future, Clough said: “We have to keep battling away and will know what is going to happen next week after two more games.”