Bournemouth referee Keith Stroud should not have officiated v West Brom
West Brom surprised many by beating Championship high-flyers Bournemouth 2-0 last night on a wet and windy evening at The Hawthorns.
Alex Mowatt and Andy Carroll both scored within 15 minutes as the Baggies raced into a two-goal lead that the Cherries couldn’t overcome.
They were given plenty of time to do so however as the fourth official held up the board to indicate how much added time was to be played at the end of the game and the entire stadium gasped at what they saw.
Despite no serious injury or long break in play, seven minutes were added on at the end of the 90 but even then Scott Parker’s side couldn’t find a way through.
As it turns out, there is a very good reason why Keith Stroud, the man in the middle on the night, was being particularly lenient with the Bournemouth players.
The 52-year-old is actually from Bournemouth! We don’t know whether he supports them or not but one can only assume so given how much they were able to get away with in the Midlands.
It is made even worse when you realise that of the 12 Cherries games Stroud had been in charge of this season before last night, they ahd won every single one.
West Brom were fortunate that Bournemouth had an off night as a game with both teams on a level playing field would have likely seen the referee decide the outcome.
The EFL have to realise that they can’t keep sneding referees to whichever game is closest to them because more of this will happen.
No matter how much referees might deny it, they do have their favourite teams and they will have their own sides siuation in the back of their heads whenever they officiate a rival or even themselves.
In other West Brom news, a major injury update on Karlan Grant has arrived from Steve Bruce, it’s not good news.
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