#PLStories- Gary O’Neil blames terrible penalty decision for draw against Fulham #AFCB

GARY O'Neil slammed the decision to award Fulham a penalty early in the second half at Craven Cottage, insisting: "It's a foul on Jefferson Lerma." Cherries led 2-1 at half-time against Marco Silva's Cottagers, thanks to goals from Dominic Solanke and Lerma. However, the hosts got level early in the second period when Aleksandar Mitrovic was awarded a penalty by referee Graham Scott, after he went down under the challenge of Lerma, as the pair awaited a ball to be delivered into the box. Mitrovic slammed home the resulting spot-kick, but Cherries saw out the remaining 40 minutes to earn a 2-2 draw and extend their unbeaten run to six matches. Discussing the decision to award Fulham a penalty, O'Neil told the Daily Echo: "I think it’s a terrible decision, a terrible decision. "Jefferson Lerma and Mitrovic have got their arms around each other. If someone has got their arms around you, I have no idea what makes you fall backwards. "So, for me, it’s obvious that Mitrovic has initiated the fall and pulled Jefferson Lerma on top of him. "I can’t understand how you would fall backwards if someone is holding you. It doesn’t make any sense. "Does Jefferson Lerma has his arms around him? Yes. Does Mitrovic have his arms around Jeff? Yes. No-one will ever convince me otherwise. It’s a foul on Jefferson Lerma." He added: "When the momentum swings off the back of a poor penalty decision, the lads then have to knuckle down and try and see it out. "And they adapted to that and limited Fulham to a lot of balls in the box, but real hopeful ones that could land for them, could land with us and I thought they managed all spells really, really well. "It was a shame that the momentum swung on the penalty decision, because I was enjoying going toe-to-toe. "But at that time, I just felt that the place is up a little bit now and we just need to try and help the boys get through the next 20 minutes or whatever it was at that point. "I’m disappointed that the boys gave absolutely everything and I think we win the game if they don’t get the penalty."