Referees' supremo agrees Stags were denied a '˜stonewall penalty'

Mansfield Town's Manager Steve Evans with his assistant Paul Raynor - Photo by Chris Holloway

Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans' claims that Stags should have been awarded a late penalty in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Doncaster Rovers have today been backed by referees' supremo David Allison.

Evans was furious with match referee Dean Whitestone after Alfie Potter appeared to be shoved to the ground by Andy Butler.

Was it a penalty – click HERE and you decide?

The decision hurt even more after Stags were beaten by a contentious late penalty the week before, but today Evans at least feels his frustration has been proved correct.

Evans said: “You have to be upbeat don’t you. But this morning you receive a call from the head of referees at the Football League, David Allison, and he tells you it’s a stonewall penalty we’ve not had.

“Our analyst sent him the DVD on Sunday. David Allison is a man of the highest integrity – someone whose opinions I value.

“We often have disagreements on decisions because he looks at it in the cold light of day.

“But he has said it was a certain penalty. The referee has not given it and he’ll need to learn from it.”

He added: “We move on. It’s a penalty we should have had. We had one last week we shouldn’t have had against us so it’s particularly cruel in the space of seven days.

“But for those out there that were questioning whether it was a penalty or not, the head of referees at the Football League thinks it’s a certain penalty. That matter is now closed and we focus on Wycombe.”