Mike Dean weighs in on Burnley's late penalty controversy against promotion rivals Sunderland
Burnley’s goalless draw against promotion rivals Sunderland on Friday night was dominated by talk of late penalty controversy.
Referee Anthony Backhouse was booed off the Turf Moor pitch by the home faithful after awarding the Black Cats two spot kicks during the final moments.
Thankfully for Scott Parker’s men, goalkeeper James Trafford pulled off two remarkable saves – both from Wilson Isidor – to ensure the Clarets came away unscathed, with the game finishing 0-0.
The first decision in particular sparked Burnley’s angst, with Backhouse adjudging CJ Egan-Riley’s trip on Isidor as he ran through on goal to be inside the box when replays clearly showed it was outside.
The second one was far more debatable, with Oliver Sonne lunging in on Dennis Cirkin as he cut the ball back.
Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman felt Burnley were right to feel aggrieved by the decision as he analysed the incident during the commentary.
But former top flight official Mike Dean offered a different view, telling Sky Sports: “Yeah, I think this is a penalty. There are no complaints whatsoever by anybody for me. It’s a good decision by the referee.
"[Cirkin’s] just nicked it back, he’s committed the Burnley player to the tackle, misses the ball and clearly gets the man.”
Burnley also felt they were worthy of a penalty earlier in the game when Zian Flemming was felled by Luke O’Nien inside the six-yard box just as he was about to strike towards goal, but Backhouse emphatically waved away the appeals.