Frustration as Sunderland wait nearly five minutes before ‘goal’ is ruled out
Dan Ballard thought he had put Sunderland ahead against the Bees in west London.
Referee Thomas Bramall took almost five minutes at the VAR screen to disallow Dan Ballard’s first-half effort for Sunderland in their 1-1 draw against Brentford.
The decision hinged around whether debutant Kevin Danso had blocked the eye line of goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher as Ballard’s low drive found the bottom corner.
The Premier League has seen a flurry of amendments to the rules for the new season, all designed to help speed up the game, whilst there is also an aim to limit the number of VAR interventions.
However, the matter of whether Sunderland’s central defender was sufficiently impeding the view of Kelleher, as Ballard’s shot flew post him, took significant time to resolve.
The delay caused audible frustration inside the stadium, particularly amongst visiting Sunderland supporters who let their irritation be known.
The visitors left west London with a point after Enzo Le Fee’s 82nd-minute penalty cancelled out Vitaly Janelt’s first-half strike.