Sunderland beat Hull City 1-0 in the Championship on Sunday. But the game wasn’t without controversy.
Sunderland retained their spot at the top of the Championship table with a 1-0 win against Hull City last time out.
Regis Le Bris’ side were put to the test once again, with summer signing Wilson Isidor scoring the winning goal in the 63rd minute.
The French striker, on loan from Zenit, has now scored three in his last four Championship outings for the Black Cats.
But his goal at the MKM has sparked debate, after it appeared as though referee Bobby Madley blocked a Hull City player who was then dispossessed, with Sunderland taking possession and scoring on the counter.
Wilson Isidor’s controversial goal in Sunderland win at Hull City
The goal has certainly provoked conversation among fans and among pundits as well.
Speaking after the game, former Black Cats striker Darren Bent sided with Sunderland over the Isidor goal, suggesting that the Hull City player should’ve been more aware.
Curtis Davis however disagreed with Bent, saying that Madley clearly got in the way of the Hull City player, who many think was Xavier Simons, but it was actually the no.8, Marvin Mehlem.
Now, Ryan Dilks has weighed in with his opinion, saying on The Second Tier podcast: “I’ve got a lot of sympathy for the referee, because he’s tried to get out the way, hasn’t he, and he didn’t know where Simons [Mehlem] was when he was behind him.
“So it’s not like he was purposely blocking the ball, which is what a lot of people related to Hull seem to be basically acting like that was the case.
“I think Hull’s protestations about the whole incident were very over the top because, Alfie Jones went mad at the referee after the goal, which I just don’t think’s particularly fair.”
Dilks added: “If you’re mad at the referee then you’ve also got to be just as mad at Simons [Mehlem] for not dealing with the ball better, and whichever defender it was for not dealing with Isidor.
“I think it’s unfortunate, but it’s a pretty lame excuse.”
What did Hull City boss Tim Walter say about the Wilson Isidor goal?
Hull City boss Tim Walter was particularly upset with the refereeing decisions during the game; not only the Isidor incident, but Walter felt that Chris Mepham deliberately handled the ball during the first half.
After the game, Water revealed that Madley apologised to him for the incident, though he didn’t specifically reveal which incident Madley apologised for.
Walter is quoted by talkSPORT as saying: “He [Madley] apologised for the situation, but that doesn’t help at the moment.”
Asked whether Madley apologised for the Mepham or the Isidor incident, he added: “Which one?
“Maybe for the whole game, but it is like it is and we have to accept it. Everybody can make mistakes. All I said is that you have been better prepared for the situation.
“You have to find a better position, he said he was well prepared, but unfortunately not.”
Sunderland are next in action away at Luton Town on Wednesday night, in what is a 7:45pm kick-off.