Hull are demanding an investigation into claims that a third party was behind Steve Bennett's decision to overturn a late penalty in Tuesday night's 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa.
Bennett initially awarded Hull an injury-time spot-kick when he though Ashley Young had handled the ball on the line, but then changed his mind after talking to his assistant Andy Halliday, who correctly told him the ball had struck the bar.
But there are now claims that a third party illegally used video replays and the officials' earpieces to advise them, and that has angered Tigers chairman Paul Duffen.
’All we are saying is that the events bring into question who exactly did influence the referee,’ Duffen said in the Daily Mail.
’I would like a report from the match officials and confirmation of who was talking in the earpiece. There is a concern that somebody (else) was using video evidence.’
Premier League rules do not allow third party influence or the use of video replays.
’I have spoken to the Premier League's chief executive Richard Scudamore this morning and he assured me he will ask some questions and come back to me,’ Duffen added.
’We are most concerned about the integrity of the competition and that some form of video evidence isn't being introduced by officials on a discretionary basis.’
Duffen does not deny that the decision not to award the penalty was correct, but was concerned by the manner in which the officials reached their decision.
’Once Steve Bennett had awarded the penalty - and he is not known as a referee who is easily swayed - he didn't have any doubt about the decision,’ he said.
’We don't see any way the linesman could have had a view of it and he did not attract the referee's attention at all.
’But at the point Bennett went across to talk to (Halliday), the linesman was obviously listening to someone in his earpiece while Bennett was standing next to him.
’It did look to all who were there as if the linesman was relaying information he was getting in his earpiece from somewhere else in the ground.’
A Premier League spokesman told the Mail that video screens have been removed from technical areas so that replays cannot be seen.
’The assistant communicated with Steve Bennett his view of the incident and as a result of that he has made the correct decision, ’ the spokesman said. ’As part of the 'Get on with the Game' programme, screens have been removed from the technical area so there is no access to video replays.’
