Graeme Jones wants the introduction of a Video Assistant Referee in the Championship, but insisted his Luton side still would have beaten Charlton last night, even if Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu’s leveller had been ruled out after replays.
Addicks boss Lee Bowyer was furious with both Town goals, claiming that VAR would have spotted James Collins standing offside and impeding keeper Dillon Phillips for the first, and that Izzy Brown had handled just before firing the winner.
Television replays did suggest quite conclusively afterwards that the officials at least got the Hatters’ first wrong, as the goal was allowed even despite referee Darren England consulting his assistant.
It was the type of wait that Championship fans are unaccustomed to but which have blighted the Premier League, except that the two officials on the pitch had only their live assessment of the situation, which went Luton’s way.
Jones said: “I think we should bring VAR to the Championship. I think we’ll be better off. I said to the boys before the game, ‘we’ve got to be above the referee’, so our performance has to be so good that we’re not relying on the referee or anyone else.”
In Saturday’s last-gasp defeat to Leeds, Jones was left to rue two decisions that led to United’s opener and then incorrectly chalked off a Matty Pearson strike, so it was welcome relief to get something go their way against Charlton.
Jones said: “I think, if they cancelled it, we would’ve found a way because that’s the mindset we’re in and that’s the improvement we’ve made, but it was nice because it got us back in the game quick enough. The response was excellent.”
Bowyer said: “We took the lead and then they got a goal shortly after which was offside and I feel for my players, because it’s tough on them at the moment.
“We’ve got so many things going against us, they’re giving everything and tonight I feel for them as they’ve lost a game from two decisions which they didn’t deserve that from the efforts they put in.
“It’s handball, he (Brown) took the ball in the path, unfortunately for him, it’s hit a bobble and then bounced up, and he didn’t use his knee to put it into his path.
“I’ve seen it, it was his arm and I understand the game moves so quickly, but it’s handball, not only the first goal when the fella’s (Collins) falling over our goalkeeper as the ball goes past him.
“You’ve got that one then you’ve got a handball, two decisions, that if we had VAR would now have stood.
“Both those goals would have not stood if we had VAR in our division, but it’s not, so I feel for my players, because they’ve given everything and we’ve come away with nothing.”
