Neil Warnock to appeal against McNair dismissal after 'scandalous' decision

MIDDLESBROUGH manager Neil Warnock admits he was a proud man after seeing his ten-man side overcome a controversial sending-off to secure a precious 2-1 home success over Huddersfield Town.
Neil Warnock.Neil Warnock.
Neil Warnock.

Leading thanks to goals from Duncan Watmore and a penalty from Ashley Fletcher - after Town took an early lead following a fantastic free-kick from Isaac Mbenza - Boro had to repel strong late pressure from lowly Town after Paddy McNair saw red for a challenge on Juninho Bacuna.

The decision left Warnock and the Boro coaching staff incensed with Town piling on the pressure late on and almost levelling when Kieran Phillips struck the post.

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But Boro held out to claim their first win in six matches and end a run of four successive home defeats on a tense evening.

On the sending off, Warnock, who confirmed that Boro would be appealing, said: "I said to the referee coming off: 'You did not give it, did you?' and he said no.

"The linesman gave it. He is thirty yards away and has not got an angle and cannot see straight down the pitch from where he is over there. How can he give it? It is scandalous. I don't understand it.

"If the referee had given it, fair enough as he is there. But the linesman cannot give it. Having said that, all night, I thought he was busy and I was not shocked.

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"We will appeal against it, definitely. Paddy is distraught. He has not caught Bacuna at all. When you watch the video back, Bacuna is trying to flick the ball away and Paddy has got the ball and does not catch him at all, one bit.

On a relieving victory amid late adversity, Warnock added: "It is nights like that when I am really proud to be manager of a team like that when you put bodies on the line.

"Apart from the first ten minutes, we dominated and should have been out of sight by half-time. But we never make it easy, do we...

"But in the second half until the sending off, I thought we were well in control.

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"It was good for the fans to see our passion (at the end). That is what I love about football. When something goes against you and it riles you and the lads muck it and out bodies, tackles and headers on the line. I love that and I think we got what we deserved.

'And if Watmore's goal was in the Premier League, everyone would have been raving about it."

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