Mackay Furious With Referee D'Urso

Whenever referee Andy D'Urso is in town, you know controversy is never far away and he didn't disappoint in the 0-0 draw between Watford and Forest yesterday.

D'Urso denied Forest, what they thought was a decent penalty shout, when Chris Gunter was felled in the box. If there was any doubt in the validity of the Forest appeals for a pen, then there were no doubts whatsoever about the Watford claims, late in the game, when Forest defender Nicky Shorey blatantly handled in the box.

Watford boss Malky Mackay, was positively fuming after the match, telling Sky Sports News. 'I think myself, the fourth official, their bench, 15,000 people and the boy himself (Shorey) - who admitted it to one of the players afterwards - saw the hand go from down by his side to up near there (by his head) and stopped the ball going into an empty net.'


Forest boss Billy Davies was clearly seeing the funny side of things and was happy that he got a get out of jail free card for Chrimbo. In response to Mackay's claims, Billy told BBC Radio Nottingham. 'I felt Chris Gunter's' was a definite penalty, inside the 18-yard box when Cleverley pulled him down.' Billy could hardly contain his laughter.

Meanwhile Mackay was on a roll and was still ranting to SSN saying. 'I've seen it six times (on the video) but the first reaction is always the one that you look at to start with and it was amazement.'

Davies was probably trying to deflect attention away from the penalty incident by saying a draw at Watford, is a good result. 'There's no doubt about it, you know what you're coming to here and it wasn't a classic, and it was never going to be a classic. But it's a very good point away from home and it keeps the run going, 15 undefeated, another clean sheet and another very good test for this young side.'

As the lights were going off and the stadium manager was about to lock the gates, Mackay was heard shouting. ' I think the way we played second half, pushed and pressed and kept them in there at times and created the chances that we did merited the chance to be able to put away a penalty.' Referee Andy D'Urso, was apparently unavailable for comment.

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