Exclusive: FA and EFL told to investigate after shock Sunderland v Preston controversy
Lewis Smith was at the heart of controversy on Tuesday as Sunderland limped to a 1-1 draw against Preston in the Championship.
After taking the lead through Emil Riis, Paul Heckingbottom’s side delayed time however they could, with a six-minute delay seeing three players go down with supposed injuries.
Despite that, Smith took no action and nearly even let play resume with Preston having 12 players on the pitch, as Romaine Mundle rescued a point minutes later at the Stadium of Light.
FA and EFL to investigate after Sunderland draw
Speaking exclusively to Mackem News, Keith Hackett believes that the FA are likely to step in after the unsavoury scenes on show.
The ex-PGMOL chief admitted that Smith will need to be given advice after his approach to the blatant acts of delaying a restart.
“The EFL and The FA need to investigate this negative approach to the game and the clear acts of simulation to delay the restart,” Hackett said.
“The referee should receive some operational advice, and I was surprised by his lenient approach.
“Firstly, he should have taken the captain of both teams to one side and issue a clear warning stating that he is aware of what’s going on and that he will start to sanction players with a yellow card for acts of simulation or attempting to waste time.“
Sunderland throw it away again in Championship
After defeats against Leeds United and Hull, it looked as though automatic promotion was over.
However, consecutive wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff turned it around, as Leeds dropped five points from six and neither Burnley or Sheffield United won on Tuesday.
Instead, Regis Le Bris‘ men failed again and dropped more points against lower-table opposition, where they have struggled most this season.
| Sunderland v Preston | Goals | Shots | xG | Possession |
| Sunderland | 1 | 20 | 2.11 | 53% |
| Preston | 1 | 15 | 0.79 | 47% |
Regardless of officiating, you have to find ways to win games.
After dropping points against the likes of Plymouth and Stoke earlier in the season, it’s clear that a lesson has not been learned and it may be time to really start preparing for the play offs.
Anything is possible in the Championship, but Sunderland need to start putting some consistency together when it matters most.