Leeds have hit out at the decision not to punish Ian Ashbee over his clash with Luciano Becchio.
Ashbee decision rankles with Elland Road club
Leeds have hit out at the decision not to punish Hull City captain Ian Ashbee over his clash with Luciano Becchio.
The Whites forward was left on the floor following a collision between the two players during the second half of Tuesday night's 2-2 draw at Elland Road.
Television replays of the incident appear to show that the Tigers midfielder's elbow hits the side of Becchio's head, with manager Simon Grayson unimpressed by the clash after the match.
But as referee Kevin Friend, who took no action at the time, has informed the Football Association that he saw the incident, then the governing body is unable to take retrospective action.
That stance has caused confusion with the West Yorkshire outfit, who believe a more consistent application of the rules is required to ensure the correct verdict is reached.
Mistakes
A Leeds statement read: "The club confirms it is disappointed that no action has been taken following an elbowing incident involving Hull City's Ian Ashbee during Tuesday's game at Elland Road.
"Like all clubs, what we seek and should demand from the Football Association is consistency. Trial by television is either the way forward or it is not. It cannot be used on an ad-hoc basis. We had circumstances two seasons ago when Jermaine Beckford was suspended for an elbow, which hadn't been seen by the referee.
"As footage shows, even though the referee claims he saw the incident on Tuesday, he plainly cannot have had the view that we had and is shown by the TV images, otherwise you would have expected him to take action.
"If he didn't see it clearly then in those circumstances trial by television should be used. Referees are human and we understand that and they are as liable to make a mistake as any player is.
"Any mistakes can be rectified by the FA without apportioning any criticism on the referee, but this needs to be done consistently."
