Baggies to appeal red card
Albion are to appeal against Paul Robinson's sending off in a bid to free the defender to play in Sunday's Black Country derby. Albion are to appeal against Paul Robinson's sending off in a bid to free the defender to play in Sunday's Black Country derby. The 28-year-old left-back is facing a two-match ban after being shown a red card by referee Dermot Gallagher for pulling down Sunderland's Liam Miller in the 87th minute on Saturday. Gallagher decided that the Baggies No.3 was guilty of a professional foul as the last defender, but the one game suspension that would normally bring is doubled because of Robinson's previous sending off this season at Birmingham. If the decision stands, Albion will be without one of their most influential characters for the games against Wolves and Crystal Palace at a time when they are already weakened by the suspension of Nathan Ellington. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
The 28-year-old left-back is facing a two-match ban after being shown a red card by referee Dermot Gallagher for pulling down Sunderland's Liam Miller in the 87th minute on Saturday.
Gallagher decided that the Baggies No.3 was guilty of a professional foul as the last defender, but the one game suspension that would normally bring is doubled because of Robinson's previous sending off this season at Birmingham.
If the decision stands, Albion will be without one of their most influential characters for the games against Wolves and Crystal Palace at a time when they are already weakened by the suspension of Nathan Ellington.
But, after spending the weekend analysing video replays, the Baggies feel they have a strong case to get the red card rescinded.
Immediately after the game, boss Tony Mowbray indicated that Gallagher's view of Robinson as the last defender was questionable.
"If the referee thought he was last man then he's within his rights to send him off," said Mowbray.
"I've got my own thoughts on that. But it was a strange decision in the context of the way Dermot refereed the rest of the game.
"He let a lot of other things and challenges go but he was very, very sharp to get his red card out."
Now Albion officials are also questioning whether Robinson's contact on Miller merited a sending off.
The Baggies are likely to know within the next 48 hours whether the appeal has succeeded.
Albion's one point from their last two games has enabled Wolves to close to within a point of their old rivals and the two meet for the third time this season in what is sure to be a highly-charged Molineux atmosphere.
The Baggies 'blip' in the last fortnight has seen them slip four points behind leaders Birmingham and three behind second-placed Derby – and both of those clubs still have a game in hand.