Matt Ritchie thought he should have had a penalty during Newcastle United’s win over Wigan Athletic at the weekend.
Newcastle United’s Matt Ritchie (L) has a penalty appeal turned down after this challenge by Wigan Athletic’s Jake Buxton
Matt Ritchie has insisted that he should have had a penalty during Newcastle’s clash with Wigan Athletic at the weekend, but admitted that the way that he went to ground probably did not help his cause at all, the Shields Gazette reports.
The Magpies strengthened their grip on an automatic promotion spot on Saturday, but were made to work by the relegation candidates as they secured a narrow 2-1 win, which saw the Latics equalise after Dwight Gayle had given Rafa Benitez’s men the lead.
Ritchie had put the home side back in front and had subsequently hoped that he had given Newcastle the perfect opportunity to double their lead when he was brought down in the box. However, the referee decided not to give the spot-kick, and the winger has conceded that he may have cost himself.
“You can’t say too much as players now, but it’s a stone-wall penalty for me,” he said, as reported by the Shields Gazette.
Newcastle United’s Matt Ritchie celebrates scoring
“My fall to the ground probably didn’t help.
“It was probably a little bit theatrical if that’s the word for it.
“I maybe should have just fallen naturally but it’s still a stone-wall penalty.”
Despite Newcastle not getting the decision, they managed to secure a three points that was made all the more valuable by the fact that third place Huddersfield lost in dramatic fashion against Burton.
Those results have left the Magpies 10 points clear of the play-off places with seven games left – Huddersfield do have a game in hand – so it seems incredibly difficult to imagine that Benitez’s men will fail to secure an automatic return to the top flight at the first time of asking.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
