Glenn Poll-axed

Glenn Roeder has revealed that referee Graham Poll apologised for his part in Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's goal for Chelsea on Wednesday night.

Glenn has now viewed a video of the incident in which Mr Poll stood over the ball before stepping aside to allow Hasselbaink to curl in the first equalising strike and says: "At the time I hadn't seen the video, and you are looking at so many things such as whether everybody is marked up, the wall is in the right place, the goalie is in the right place, and so on, you don't always see every detail.

"But when I have seen the video, Graham Poll's position, standing over the ball...he has got to look at himself.

"I know for a fact the referee's 'coach' went into the room at half-time and told him he had got that completely wrong.

"Paul Goddard was there at the time and he apologised, but that is of little use to us.

"He has made a mistake, it is an honest mistake, but nevertheless he can't put himself over the ball where our goalkeeper can't see it, then, at the last second, step away to allow Hasselbaink to take a shot.

"He has acted in the manner that he is part of the set play.

"I hope we will never see anything like it will happen again. I have got to believe it has not been done on purpose but I just wonder that referees are not accountable - they keep their heads down.

"Just before half-time is a particularly bad time to concede a free-kick, and we have been preaching for weeks and weeks and weeks not to give away unnecessary free-kicks.

"There was no need to commit the free-kick that we gave away - but the referee doesn't cover himself in glory in the part he played either.

Glenn can take some consolation - albeit scant - from the performance and he adds: "There is never a nice way to lose a game, but that was particularly difficult to stomach losing in that manner. The goals we conceded disguised the fact that we actually played well in the game and for long periods we at least matched Chelsea and, at times, did better than they did."

Glenn admits conceding what he regards as unnecessary free-kicks is a concern, especially as the concession of goals as a result can undermine otherwise good performances.

"I wouldn't say it was the story of the season but it is not the first time it has happened to us," he admits.

"Conceding goals from set plays, as we have done of late, is particularly annoying, as was the timing on Wednesday, with them equalising just before half time and getting the winner deep into injury time.

"I hope it is just a phase and a phase we are going to come out of now. We don't want to concede silly free kicks, and that is it."