Was it a goal Carroll insists header should have been given but Cech says ref was right
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UPDATED:
10:12 GMT, 6 May 2012
Calls for goalline technology to be introduced intensified after Andy Carroll saw his header controversially ruled out late on at Wembley.
The Liverpool substitute insisted he'd scored the goal to get his team back on level terms but it was not awarded by referee Phil Dowd and Chelsea went on to celebrate the FA Cup.
Replays proved to be inconclusive with a split verdict on whether Carroll's effort had completely crossed the line following an outstanding save from Blues keeper Petr Cech.
Was it a goal Andy Carroll's late effort was not awarded while replays and stills (below) proved inconclusive
Cech believed it was not goal but Carroll argued the opposite view, and said his own fine performance was of little consolation.
He said: 'I thought it was over the line. I thought it hit the other side of the bar. We were unlucky. We had a few chances but we couldn't put them away. It wasn't to be.'
Cech, however, was adamant that was the right decision.
He told ITV: 'I don't think it was over the line. If the ball was behind the line I couldn't have kept it out. I'm 100 per cent sure it was not in, and I felt that from the first moment.'
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish backed Carroll but refused to criticise the officials decision even though it cost his side the chance of forcing a comeback.
Yes it was: Carroll felt his header should have been given as Liverpool's equaliser
Oh no it wasn;t: Chelsea keeper Petr Cech insisted his save denied Carroll's effort from completely crossing the line
Dalglish said: 'I thought it was in but if it hasn't gone in then we'll give the officials the credit they deserve.'
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger, meanwhile, admitted they were not good enough for the first hour of their FA Cup final defeat.
The Reds did not seem to come alive until Carroll's introduction in the 55th minute but by then they were 2-0 down to goals from Ramires, in the first half, and Didier Drogba.
Not given: Luis Suarez was cautioned for his protestations
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But Agger admitted Liverpool paid for their poor start.
'We can't use that (fightback) for much. It simply was not good enough for the first hour and we can only blame ourselves,' said the Denmark defender.
'We definitely were not good enough.
'Andy did really well when he came on and got a lot of balls to work with but sadly it was not enough.'
Debate continued long after the final whistle over whether Carroll's header had actually crossed the line but Agger said he had no idea from his position on the pitch.
What might have been: Carroll and his Liverpool team-mates were dejected after losing the final to Chelsea
'I definitely couldn't see anything because I was at the other end so people watching television will have to decide that.'
Midfielder Jordan Henderson admitted he went up claiming the equalising goal more in hope than expectation.
'I appealed because that is what you have got to do,' said the England Under-21 midfielder, who was at a loss to explain Liverpool's sluggish start.
'I am not sure why we started quite slowly in the first half. In the second half we came out and played some good stuff and we should have got back into the game.
'I think we will be disappointed when we look back.
'We wanted to win this game and we didn't and we are very disappointed.'
