At a time when referees are coming under greater scrutiny and pressure, it does not help their cause when the behaviour of managers is deemed to sway crucial decisions. That was the view of Chris Cohen, the Nottingham Forest midfield player, as he left Elland Road with his side having taken a pounding at the hands of one of their closest rivals in the fight for promotion.
He could not hide his disappointment at the decision of Mark Halsey to show him a red card for a tackle on George McCartney after 35 minutes. Full-blooded, yes, but a foul? That was questionable as he won a ball that was off the ground.
Cohen feels that his dismissal came only after an emotive Simon Grayson, the Leeds United manager, raced on to the pitch to vent his fury, stoke up a hostile home crowd and spark a mêlée between the sides that was reminiscent of their brawl in August last year.
“Their manager was about 15 yards on the pitch by the time I tackled [McCartney],” he said. “I think the reaction got me sent off, definitely. It’s easy for me to say he shouldn’t have done what he did, but it would also be hypocritical because we know our manager would probably have done the same in that situation.
“It’s not easy for referees, but I don’t think it would even have been a foul at the City Ground.”
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Cohen’s sending-off proved the catalyst for a clinical second-half display from Leeds. Jonathan Howson made the breakthrough with a calm finish after Robert Snodgrass and Eric Lichaj had combined well on the right. Luciano Becchio then flicked a header past Lee Camp for his eighteenth goal of the season before a volley and tap-in for Max Gradel took his tally to 16, six of them in his past four home games.
A sumptuous curling effort from Garath McCleary was a classy consolation for Forest, who are winless in eight matches.
While the Leeds goal return was welcome after two games without scoring, so was their defiance at the back. Leigh Bromby, who had felt that his days at the club were numbered, is enjoying a renaissance.
“In January it maybe looked like I wasn’t going to be here, but luckily I’ve fought my way into the team and now I want to keep that shirt,” he said.
Leeds United (4-2-3-1): K Schmeichel — E Lichaj, L Bromby, A O’Brien, G McCartney — B Johnson (sub: N Kilkenny, 88min), B Bannan (sub: J Livermore, 75) — R Snodgrass, J Howson, M Gradel — L Becchio (sub: D Somma, 90). Substitutes not used: S Higgs, R Naylor, S Watt, R McCormack. Booked: Bromby.
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Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): L Camp — C Gunter, L Chambers, W Morgan, J Lynch — P Anderson (sub: G McCleary, 30), L McGugan, R Majewski, C Cohen — K Boyd (sub: N Tyson, 54), M Tudgay (sub: R Earnshaw, 80). Substitutes not used: K Darlow, D Adebola, D McGoldrick, J Bennett. Booked: Boyd, Tudgay, Tyson, Morgan, McCleary. Sent off: Cohen.
Referee: M Halsey. Attendance: 29,524