Fulham striker Barry Hayles' brace clinched his sides 2-0 victory over Everton
- and he amazingly escaped unpunished as he stamped on Everton's Weir during
a general melee 15 minutes from the final whistle.
Stoke-based ref Dowd consulted both of his assistants but did not punish
the forward for his actions.
Hayles nodded home a clever free-kick for the 37th-minute opener and tapped
in from close range to wrap up victory four minutes after the interval at
Craven Cottage.
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Fulham assistant manager Christian Damiano |
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Everton created little and Jean Tigana's side were worthy winners as they
began preparations for Wednesday's daunting league clash at Liverpool.
Fulham assistant manager Christian Damiano criticised Referee Dowd's assessment
of the brawl.
"The sanction against Boa Morte was very hard as the first foot was
from the Everton defender," he said.
"Boa Morte said the Everton defender's knee and foot arrived in his
face. His reaction was to protect his face.
"It's difficult to talk about as it was a long way away from me, but
he was unlucky to be sent off today, and also against Ipswich."
Damiano also shot down the belief that Boa Morte - also sent off against
Ipswich this season after a head-butt and a dive - still has a bad-boy reputation.
"I expect the attitude against Boa Morte is different now," he
added. "He was a very hard player last year, but now we're working
on his attitude and he's changed and grown in his position.
"Everton manager Walter Smith joined his players and fans in risking
the wrath of the Football Association with a blistering attack on referee
Phil Dowd after their explosive 2-0 defeat at Fulham.
Toffees captain David Weir was sent off after a disgraceful 22-man brawl
which also saw the Cottagers' Luis Boa Morte dismissed for the second
time this season.
The supporters from Merseyside could also land their club in hot water as
a bottle was hurled at the Londoners' Steed Malbranque in the second half.
Smith certainly did not mince his words in assessing the 73rd-minute
melee, sparked by Boa Morte's late challenge on Weir on the edge of the
Everton penalty area.
"I thought the decision to send David Weir off was disgraceful,"
Smith said. "I can't understand how the ref would give a foul to
a player - as he did - and then send him off.
"If you can tell me what it was for, I'd be delighted to enlighten
the referee. It's a mystifying decision, among other mystifying decisions
in the game.
"He's the only player that has ever been sent off for clearing the
ball, being pulled down and stamped on by the opposition.
"He gave him a second yellow card after giving him a foul - and
it's the first time in my career that that's happened.
"There was nothing in it and if we can appeal, we will. Boa Morte's
wasn't a sending-off either - and Louis Saha stood on top of him (Weir)
and walked away."
As for the bottle-throwing incident, Smith added: "I saw something
coming onto the pitch, and if it is the case, it's something I won't condone."