Alious Ex-Referees Chief Slams Ballard Decision as VAR Backs Yellow Card Call
Dan Ballard emerged as one of the most talked-about figures after being spared a red card in a goalless draw, despite a strong challenge that split opinion among officials, pundits, and supporters.
The centre-back was shown only a yellow card following a late collision with Charalampos Kostoulas, a decision that was later upheld by the Premier League after a VAR review. Video assistant referee James Bell, alongside AVAR Blake Antrobus, checked the incident after on-field referee Darren England’s initial call and agreed that the contact was only “glancing,” deeming the caution sufficient.
Inside the Amex Stadium, the decision did not spark widespread outrage. In fact, some sections of the crowd even reacted positively when the yellow card was produced, suggesting the challenge was not universally viewed as worthy of dismissal.
However, former referees chief Keith Hackett took a far firmer stance. Speaking to *Football Insider*, Hackett strongly criticised the ruling, insisting Ballard’s actions crossed the line. He argued the defender targeted the player rather than the ball and described the challenge as carrying clear malice. In his view, it met the threshold for serious foul play and should have resulted in a straight red card. Hackett also called on football’s governing bodies — including PGMOL, the FA, the Premier League, the PFA, and the LMA — to take a harder line on such tackles in future.
The incident was notably absent from detailed discussion on BBC’s *Match of the Day*, although the way the highlights were edited suggested producers considered it a potential talking point. Match commentator Jonathan Pearce hinted at the severity of the moment, pointing out that it was the follow-through that could have landed Ballard in serious trouble.
Replays showed Ballard initially miscontrolling the ball before attempting to win it back, only to catch the Brighton substitute late in the process.
Despite the controversy, Ballard’s overall performance still earned praise. During *Match of the Day*’s analysis of set-pieces, former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given applauded the defender’s uncompromising style, joking that Ballard “would head your granny,” underlining his fearless and no-nonsense approach.
While VAR and the Premier League backed the original decision, the debate around the challenge highlights ongoing tensions over consistency, interpretation, and where exactly the line for a red card should be drawn.
Alious
