O'Neill - Dowd made up rules

Villa boss launches new attack on Carling Cup referee

O'Neill: Dowd blast

The referee is there to administer the laws of the game, not to decide at that minute to make up some rules. And that's what Phil did, made them up just as he went along.

Martin O'Neill.
Quotes of the week

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has launched a new attack on referee Phil Dowd over his Carling Cup final display.

O'Neill, and most observers, were left stunned by the official's decision to allow Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic to remain on the field after he had hauled down Gabriel Agbonlahor in the area.

Dowd pointed to the penalty spot in only the fourth minute at Wembley after Vidic's offence, but issued no further punishment to the centre-back.

United went on to hit back and win the game 2-1 through goals from Michael Owen and substitute Wayne Rooney, but O'Neill is adamant they should have been down to 10 men from the opening moments.

If Dowd felt Vidic was denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, then he should have issued a red card to the Serbia international, which the Villa boss insists was the only option available under the rules of the game.

"The decision as it stood on Sunday was that it was a straightforward decision, it was a penalty kick and a sending off offence," O'Neill said onSky Sports News.

Ga-ga moment

"The referee is there to administer the laws of the game, not to decide at that minute to make up some rules. And that's what Phil did, made them up just as he went along.

"This idea that it is to try and do your best to keep 22 players on the pitch - if players behave themselves then you will keep 22 players on the pitch.

"That is, unless the referee decides to have another ga-ga moment, or something along the way. It was ridiculous."

O'Neill was also less than impressed with the state of the Wembley pitch, which was cutting up badly after heavy rain in the London area.

Several players involved in the final have complained about the surface, while it also came under fire following England's victory over Egypt on Wednesday.

He added: "It was very poor. For a showpiece occasion at Wembley it was very poor.

"It looked as though they had played about 35 games on it in the previous week. Very poor indeed."