Under-fire official pulls out of another Premier League fixture as ex-ref says he “lost focus” during free-kick calamity

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Under-fire referee Lee Mason has pulled out of a second Premier League fixture through ‘injury’. How very convenient…

Mason had an absolute stinker during West Brom’s victory over Brighton on Saturday.

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Having blown his whistle prematurely indicating Lewis Dunk could take a free-kick, he decided to change his mind after realising Baggies keeper Sam Johnstone was not in position and had been beaten in a pretty unsportsmanlike manner.

He had no real, legitimate grounds to disallow it, though. It looked as though he had panicked.

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher told Sky Sports that Mason had “lost focus” at the time of the incident.

He has now, quite conveniently, lost his fitness. Mason will not be involved the midweek round of fixtures, either. He is apparently too injured to be the fourth official.

Whether or not Mason is legitimately injured is unclear, but it is a huge coincidence, no doubt.

It looks like a pretty transparent way for the FA and PGMOL to get him out of the firing line…

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