Brentford manager Keith Andrews fired a subtle shot at Aston Villa after his side’s 1-0 victory on Saturday afternoon.
Andrews was delighted to earn his first competitive win as Brentford manager but his post-match press conference wasn’t all positive. The Irishman was frustrated that Mikkel Damsgaard’s stunning first-half volley didn’t stand and believes Villa had a sinister part to play in referee Tony Harrington’s decision.
Brentford, who defended impeccably to hold onto their fragile lead and a valuable three points, could have had it much easier had Damsgaard’s strike counted. The referee reckoned Nathan Collins fouled Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez as the pair contested in an aerial duel, but it was a contentious call.
Replays appeared to show Martinez going to ground as a result of contact from his own teammate Morgan Rogers, not necessarily just from Collins. Although there was a nudge from the Brentford man as he turned his back, Martinez seemed to go down easily and the contact was from both Collins and Rogers.
VAR had the chance to intervene but it took fewer than 30 seconds for the referee to be given the go-ahead to carry on play as usual, with the goal disallowed. In most cases, the manager impacted by such a decision would either move on without second thought or point the finger at the referees, but Andrews instead aimed what came across as a sly dig at Villa, trying to take the moral high ground.
“I’m disappointed that it wasn’t given,” Andrews admitted. “I thought they (Villa) were clever at times in terms of fouls that they got. I thought there was a real honesty about our players that we don’t just go to ground easily. I don’t want us to be that team, I want us to play with a real honesty.
“I have a determination to play the game in the correct manner. It was disappointing (the disallowed goal) and the terminology of it (the explanation from the Premier League). The fact that I’ve been asked about it in every interview would suggest it’s been contentious,” Andrews explained.
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