OXFORD United will NOT be asking the Football Association to replace referee Mike Reed from next week's FA Cup replay.

United directors met manager Malcolm Shotton this morning to discuss the matter.

And while the club say they are disappointed with Reed's decision to hand Chelsea an injury-time penalty in Monday's 1-1 draw, they will not be asking for a different official for next Wednesday's fourth-round replay at Stamford Bridge.

Secretary Mick Brown said: "We're all disappointed, but we realise that there is absolutely no point in pursuing the matter.

"The gentleman's made a mistake - not may people would argue with that - but he made it in good faith. I don't believe that clubs should be able to object to referees, it just puts us on a slippery slope."

Referees normally officiate at replays of drawn FA Cup ties. However, there are precedents for refs being removed from a second game after controversial decisions.

This season, Sunderland complained to the FA when Paul Danson was appointed for the third-round tie at Lincoln because Danson had sent off two players the last time he refereed them in the Premiership, against Arsenal at Highbury. Similarly, two years ago, following the FA Cup fifth-round replay between Chelsea and Leicester when Reed again gave Chelsea a controversial late penalty, the police asked for him to be removed when the sides met again at Stamford Bridge six weeks later for a Premiership match, on the grounds that there was a risk of public disorder. The FA acceded to the police request.

Brown said that United would not have asked the FA to remove Reed, even if the replay was being played at the Manor, where the risk of public disorder would have been greater.

Story date: Wednesday 27 January

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