Pulis ´disappointed´ with free-kick decision

Tony Pulis was disappointed with the award of the free-kick West Ham converted to open the scoring in their 1-1 draw with West Brom at Upton Park.

Gareth McAuley was penalised for holding Diafra Sakho but Pulis claimed the striker was “pinning” is centre-back. Mauro Zarate stepped up to curl the resulting set piece into the top corner after 17 minutes – a goal the West Brom boss conceded was “fantastic”.

Pulis told Sky Sports: “Gareth has tried to get round him without really doing anything wrong and there’s worse challenges in the game in and around the box that you could pick up, and that knocked us.”

He added: “We never created enough chances. The goal gave them a lift and we went from being pretty comfortable to trying to chase it and losing our shape and losing our discipline on and off the ball.”

Pulis introduced Rickie Lambert at half-time and the striker made an immediate impact when his shot cannoned in after taking a vital deflection off Winston Reid’s arm.

“Second half, putting Rick up there gave us a little bit more of a threat and he played really well when he came on” the former Stoke City manager continued. 

“He says it’s his goal because the ball is on target and he’s told me to mention that, so I’ve mentioned it!”

Pulis highlighted a crucial save from Adrian shortly after the equaliser when the West Ham goalkeeper somehow kept out Salomon Rondon’s point-blank header.

But Pulis felt James McClean should have been “calmer and passed it in” after the rebound from Adrian’s save fell kindly to him in the box.

“We could have had three points,” the Welshman added.