Preston North End have received an apology from the PGMOL after being robbed of a penalty against Hull City last weekend.
That is according to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, who reports that North End have received a call in recent days.
The PGMOL – Professional Game Match Officials Limited – are understood to have apologised for missing a PNE penalty.
Will Keane was dragged back with the goal at his mercy with Hull defender Jacob Greaves preventing the North End striker from finding the net.
Keane, teammates and PNE supporters were left furious as no spot-kick was given in a 0-0 draw.
North End have now received an apology and referee Thomas Bramall was not assigned a game to referee this weekend.
A costly error
North End will take the apology but we could hardly blame Ryan Lowe for being furious.
That game was a vital one as a win for PNE would have moved Lowe’s side level on points with Hull in the race for the play-offs.
Instead, North End took just one point when it could have been three, which could make all the different in the battle for the top six.
We can understand human error but North End keep being robbed of penalties and it’s growing tiresome.
Lowe and the North End squad must be so fed up now and apologies won’t mean much when it’s points PNE want.
North End have been given just two penalties all season; one at Stoke early in the season and one against Coventry City in November.
Remarkably, Leicester have been given 12 penalties this season and Leeds United seven, including two against PNE.
Only five Championship clubs have been given fewer penalties than PNE this season and decisions like these, where PNE miss out on penalties and just get an apology, make it feel even worse.
North End will just have to hope for better decisions moving forward – and fewer apologies being required before the end of the season.