FARKE FUMING AT 'PENALTY' CALL AS WHITES LOSE GROUND

Diangana strikes to close gap on rivals

- Thomas Sage

WEST BROM 1

LEEDS UNITED 0

DANIEL Farke hopes his Leeds side can respond in the race for promotion when they host Birmingham tomorrow after insisting his side should have had a penalty in their defeat to West Brom.

Farke was frustrated at referee Graham Scott’s refusal to award a spot-kick for a challenge by West Brom defender Cedric Kipre on Wilfried Gnonto in the 30th minute as Leeds suffered a second successive loss for the first time this season. Seven minutes later, Grady Diangana scored the only goal to make it back-to-back home wins for the Baggies and move them to within three points of fourth-placed Leeds.

“Why should he go down when he’s one against one with the goalkeeper?” asked Farke.

“The whole stadium saw the situation, but they decided not to give us a penalty. There was no intention to play the ball, so it was a decisive moment. It changed so much against a side who was so focused on defending.”

Despite 62 per cent possession, Leeds failed to seriously test goalkeeper Alex Palmer and Farke admitted his team lacked a cutting edge. “We started well, but the last two or three per cent brutality to get the shot away was not there,” added Farke.