Pundits have shared mixed opinions on Santos’ penalty appeal during the Wrexham stalemate.

Sky Sports pundits believed Wanderers had a strong case for a penalty in their goalless draw with Wrexham.

The controversy arose when Eoghan O’Connell seemed to tug on Ricardo Santos’ shirt as the Bolton captain leapt for a header. Ian Evatt, speaking after the match, described it as a “stonewall penalty,” arguing that such a foul would typically be called anywhere else on the field.

Ahead of the 2024/25 season, the PGMOL had emphasized that holding would be penalized, especially if there was “sustained” contact.

Curtis Davies, former Hull and Derby defender, felt that the new guidelines were not applied in this case. He expressed understanding for referee Benjamin Speedie, given the lack of VAR in League One.

Davies noted, “They do have a case. The PGMOL explains the new rules to us at Sky and also to football clubs. While I understand there’s no VAR to review the incident, we were told that obvious and sustained shirt pulling should be penalized.”

He continued, “The shirt pulling was continuous from start to finish. Santos might have been able to head the ball higher if he wasn’t being held. I don’t think the referee was in the best position to make the call, and we shouldn’t expect them to guess.”

Gareth Ainsworth, former Wycombe and QPR manager, also felt Santos was hard done by and called for greater consistency in the application of the rules. He remarked, “It was sustained contact, not just a brief pull. Santos didn’t appeal, but if players have to appeal for penalties, that’s a problem. I hope there will be more consistency going forward.”