Cedric Kipre appeared to handle the ball in the West Brom game against QPR. Credit: Sky Sports
Cedric Kipre appeared to handle the ball in the West Brom game against QPR. Credit: Sky Sports

West Brom: Sky Sports pundit reacts immediately to 'blatant' incident v QPR

James Murray

James is a sports journalist with a degree in Sports Journalism and Communications (MA) from the Real Madrid Graduate School. He has experience working for a number of local news outlets as well as the Sunday Mirror and Real Madrid TV. While football is his number one sport, he also has a love for cricket.

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Jamie Mackie has reacted to a "blatant" handball from Cedric Kipre in the West Brom game against Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday (6 March).

Speaking on Sky Sports Football on Wednesday (10:17pm), the pundit said he couldn't believe how good of a save it looked from Albion keeper Alex Palmer before realising it was Kipre who tipped Steve Cook's effort over the bar with his hand.

He added that it should have been a penalty and a sending off for the offence by the 27-year-old centre-back, but the referee missed the incident and the scoreline ended 2-2 at Loftus Road.

"If we're being totally honest, when we're seeing it in real time, our reaction was we cannot believe how good a save it was because, from that angle, anyone watching it now would say what an amazing save by Palmer," said Mackie.

"We've had the benefit of seeing it quite a few times and it turns out it's an amazing save by Kipre, who has tipped it over the bar. There wasn't a huge reaction from the QPR players in real time. We assumed it was just a save from Palmer.

"Now I've seen it, obviously it's a blatant handball, it's 100 per cent a handball. It should be a sending off and another penalty."

Cedric Kipre got away with one for West Brom against QPR

It was certainly a let off for West Brom as the replays have shown that Kipre clearly handled the ball before it could hit the back of the net.

In real time, it had looked as though Palmer had pulled off an unbelievable save to deny the QPR defender, with very few of their players appealing for a penalty.

It's understandable that the referee and his assistants didn't see exactly how the situation panned out as it all happened very quickly in what was a frantic half of football.

west brom
Cedric Kipre has seen his form improve massively since returning to West Brom.

The Rs definitely have reason to feel aggrieved for not being awarded a penalty, though, as they would've had a great chance of winning the game with another spot-kick and playing against 10 men.

But it wasn't to be for the hosts and Albion came away from West London with what could be an important point come the end of the season.

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