EFL boss baffled by strange decision in relegation six-pointer that had rivals almost laughing

Portsmouth managed to find the funny side of some major controversy during their draw with Oxford United on Monday.

The two Championship sides could not be separated in a tense relegation six-pointer at Fratton Park that ended 2-2.

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Andre Dozzell’s 87th-minute equaliser for Pompey meant that they remained just outside of the bottom three in the second tier.

But manager John Mousinho believed that his side should have had all three points in the game, despite playing with 10 men.

Connor Ogilvie was sent off after 17 minutes of the game, and the hosts were forced to play a man down, going on to give up their one-goal lead when Brodie Spencer scored shortly after half-time.

Oxford would then score another to take a late lead, but it was a moment involving Spencer long before then that could have seen the game tilt in a completely different direction.

The U’s left-back was booked for a poor tackle before going on to cynically deny a Portsmouth attack a few moments later.

Roars came from the stands for a second yellow card and a red, with talkSPORT’s Joe Shennan saying on commentary: “That was a cynical foul from behind, but it’s not going to be a second yellow, that’s another hugely controversial moment.”

Co-commentator and former West Ham defender, Alvin Martin added: “I think there’s a real case for a booking there, he hasn’t got it, and he’s a very fortunate player, Spencer.

“It was intentional, an intentional foul in the build-up to what could have been an important move for Portsmouth.

“So you see referees get cards out for that, he knew what he was doing, it was intentional.”

Shennan then concluded: “John Mousinho looks furious, Matt Bloomfield will be breathing a sigh of relief…Pompey feel that Spencer should have been sent off.”

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Laughing in disbelief

And Mousinho was indeed furious at the decision not to send Spencer off, despite his side coming back to draw in the end.

On the red card for Ogilvie and the decision not to give a red to Spencer, the Portsmouth manager told talkSPORT post-match: “I suppose inconsistencies are one way to put it.

“I think if there was a heavy challenge that went in on one of my players, then you could talk about the consistency of a decision for the red card versus the yellow card.

“My issue with the Brodie Spencer one is it was just a clear-cut second yellow. There was no need for anything other to happen than Spencer being booked and then he obviously ends up getting sent off.

“Everyone in the crowd knew it. Everyone on the ground knew it. We knew it. Oxford knew it because they hooked him off straight away. They’re not idiots.

“It was almost sort of laughing on the bench, not in a disrespectful way, but I couldn’t believe what had actually happened.

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“It was such a strange decision and a good opportunity then to go, right, there’s maybe one decision in the margins in the first half and the one that is extremely clear-cut in the second half goes in our favour.

“We play for 20 minutes with even numbers and I think we’d proven in the first 20 minutes that we were more than good enough to win the game.”

The draw for Portsmouth kept them outside of the Championship relegation zone, with Oxford remaining 22nd.

Leicester currently sit below the pair, while West Brom are facing Blackburn, with one of those sides potentially pulling clear.

Five games remain for most of the teams fighting for survival at the bottom after Monday’s Easter outings.

But for Pompey, they have a game in hand on their rivals, taking on Ipswich on Tuesday, April 14, following postponements.