Huddersfield Town's Duane Holmes has said the Terriers should have had two penalties in their Championship play-off final defeat to Nottingham Forest.

With Forest leading the match 1-0, there were two controversial decisions made by referee Jon Moss and his VAR colleagues as the game went on.

Firstly, Huddersfield Town full-back Harry Toffolo went down following a challenge from Jack Colback and was booked for simulation, despite replays appearing to show clear contact between Toffolo and the Forest defender.

There was then further controversy when Lewis O'Brien appeared to be bundled to the ground from behind in the box, and yet again, neither the referee nor VAR intervened.

Expressing his frustration after the match, Holmes said he didn't know how VAR could check the incidents and then get them 'wrong'.

“We had a meeting with the referees about VAR. We got told not to surround the referee when everything is getting checked. Maybe I am biased, but I believe they were both penalties." Holmes said, via The Yorkshire Post.

“I don’t know how you can check it and get it wrong.

"We have had a great season but we came here to win. I think there were two decisions that didn’t go our way."

 

 

Offering his assessment on Huddersfield's performance in the match, Holmes praised his teammates both in defence and attack, but could not get away from the two decisions he felt were wrong.

“We defended really well." the 27-year-old continued.

"They normally create a lot of chances. We nullified them.

"We defended really well and I thought we attacked really well in the second half.

“We probably should have had two penalties and I don’t think I am just being bitter but that’s how football goes.”

Huddersfield Town will now once again play in the second-tier next season, with the 2022/23 Championship fixtures set to be revealed next month.

The Verdict

It's hard to disagree with anything Duane Holmes has said here.

Huddersfield have every right to feel incredibly hard done by given the way that decisions went on Sunday afternoon at Wembley.

There was clear contact in the first incident and so it should not have been a booking for simulation, but perhaps you can understand why VAR did not overturn and award a penalty given the contact was slight.

However, for the officials not to award the one on Lewis O'Brien is incredibly difficult to justify.

It looked a clear, stone-wall penalty from all angles.