Referee Steve Bennett was a little quick with the red card at Highbury on Sunday, making most of us Toon fans wonder if he was colour blind and made a mistake. I cannot comment if he goes to Specsavers, but at least he has the bottle to say he was wrong.
Obviously it's little help to Graeme Souness and his boys who saw their hopes of a rare result in North London snatched away on 31 minutes when the 22-year old fell foul of Bennett's hasty judgement. 2-0 it was, and sadly 2-0 it will stay.
Not only has the referee asked the Football Association to make it a booking rather than the higher penalty of a sending off, but he has also apologised to Newcastle United.
I know it is too late in the day to alter the match or result, but this must be a step forward the very fact the referee has owned up to a howler.
Obviously it's little help to Graeme Souness and his boys who saw their hopes of a rare result in North London snatched away on 31 minutes when the 22-year old fell foul of Bennett's hasty judgement. 2-0 it was, and sadly 2-0 it will stay.
Not only has the referee asked the Football Association to make it a booking rather than the higher penalty of a sending off, but he has also apologised to Newcastle United.
I know it is too late in the day to alter the match or result, but this must be a step forward the very fact the referee has owned up to a howler.