Fans divided after referee awards Birmingham penalty when player ‘slips’ but others say ‘could have killed him’

FANS are divided over the decision to award Birmingham City a penalty in their game against West Brom on Friday.

Referee James Linnington awarded the hosts a penalty for a challenge from Cedric Kipre on Koji Miyoshi.

And fans are divided over whether it should have been awarded.

On first viewing, it looks as though Miyoshi simply slips when running into the box and Kipre wins the ball cleanly.

However a reverse angle muddies the waters slightly which shows Kipre making contact with Miyoshi BEFORE he slips.

Fans at first were incandescent at the decision to award a penalty.

One fan on Twitter said: “James Linington gave a penalty to Birmingham for this. Championship refs get worse and worse and worse.”

Another fan chimed in with: “Honestly speechless, disgraceful refereeing.”

While a third wrote: “That’s the worst I’ve seen.”

But after the second angle emerged, many were convinced that the penalty was in fact stonewall and the referee did well to give it.

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One fan said: “It’s a stonewall penalty. Good spot from the referee.”

Another wrote: “If you think of how it looks from refs angle it would look like the defender two footed him.”

And a third said: “Dreadful challenge, especially when you see it not from that angle.”

While a fourth added in jest: “Could have killed him.”

Either way, the travelling Albion fans made sure to make their displeasure known to Linnington throughout the match and after for the game at St.Andrews.

Birmingham ran out 3-1 winners after Juninho Bacuna converted the penalty to equalise following West Brom‘s John Swift opener.

Dion Sanderson put Birmingham in front in the 38th minute before Gary Garnder put the game to bed in the 87th minute.