LUFC Grayson baffled by referee

Leeds United boss Simon Grayson was left baffled after seeing both John Howson and Max Gradel seeing red.

Middlesbrough player Tony McMahon was also shown a red card in a game that was never a physical contest and was spoilt by card happy referee Anthony Taylor.

Speaking in the Yorkshire Post, Grayson said, "I don`t know what words to describe it.
"Everybody is referring to a few of the decisions. It amazes you at times. You have 20-odd thousand here, a passionate local derby, two players go for a 50-50, not over the top or anything like that, and they`re both yellow-carded which puts them both on the back foot.
"Neither of them went over the top and then Max makes a rash challenge. He then decides to even it up by sending off Tony McMahon which I don`t think was another yellow card, and then the second sending-off absolutely baffled me."

Gradel and McMahon were shown yellow cards inside the opening ten minutes following an altercation after a foul by Gradel on McMahon.

Gradel was the first to see red on 26 minutes following another foul on the same player.

It was late and probably warranted a yellow card but 99 times out of a 100, you will see a referee give the player a final warning.

McMahon`s sending yellow on the stroke of half time was even less innocuous for the faintest of touches on Howson.

The decision by Taylor showed signs of a man who had lost control and any self-discipline of the game.

Howson saw red for two yellow cards that mirrored each other for fouls on Marvin Emnes.
Whilst the first looked like a yellow card the second one left everyone baffled after Taylor originally pointed for a free kick to Leeds and looked ready to show a yellow card to Emnes for a dive.
*Having seen replays on the TV it actually looks like Emnes clips his own ankle.

By the time the player had eventually picked himself off the ground, the card was shown in Howson`s direction and a red quickly followed.

Both Gradel and Howson will now be missing for the midweek championship game with Hull City as they serve one-match suspensions.



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