Hull Chairman Seeks Handball Enquiry

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Aston Villa's Ashley Young leads the race against Paul McShane of Hull City.

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Hull City are asking questions of the Football Association regarding events at the KC Stadium during Aston Villa's 1-0 victory over the Tigers on Tuesday evening.

Hull looked to have been awarded a penalty late on by referee Steve Bennett for handball by Ashley Young. Bennett, however, overturned his decision after consulting with his assistant.

City chairman Paul Duffen is now claiming that there is a possibility that someone with access to a television replay communicated with the referee via his headset, thus influencing his change of decision, rather than the linesman.

The use of video evidence to alter decisions during games is expressly forbidden under Premier League rules, and the Tigers chairman would like some clarification of what actually occurred.

"All we are saying is (that) the events bring into question who exactly did influence the referee," Duffen told The Hull Daily Mail.

"I would like a report from the match officials and confirmation of who was talking in the earpiece.

"There is a concern that somebody (else) was using video evidence."

Duffen accepts that the correct decision was eventually reached by the officials, but is concened that his club have suffered as a result of the rules being breached and has contacted Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore to voice his anxieties.

The Premier League have insisted that Bennett was solely influenced by his assistant referee, Andy Halliday, and have reiterated that television monitors are no longer allowed in the technical area at matches.

Zack Wilson, Goal.com