KEITH Andrews’ questionable winner against Derby County has again seen Blues boss Paul Jewell advocate a controversial ‘challenge system’.

The Republic of Ireland international scored just 33 seconds into the second half after his header was adjudged to have gone over the line – despite the best efforts of Rams midfielder James Bailey.

The manner in which referee David Webb and his assistant, Adrian Sannerude, deliberated over the goal provoked an angry response from Derby boss Nigel Clough.

And he has found some sympathy from the man in the opposing dugout with Jewell calling for change, but not the goal-line technology wanted by many.

The Ipswich manager believes football should adopt a similar system to tennis or cricket where teams could stop play a couple of times a half for whatever incident they wanted to challenge.

Jewell explained: “I could understand the frustration and confusion on the Derby bench, as the play carried on for a brief moment, but I think the right decision was made by the officials in the end.

”Obviously the nature of the goal again raises the question about goal-line technology but I would prefer to see a challenge system brought in, similar to that in tennis and cricket.

“I would give each side two ‘challenges’ a half, whether it be over a throw-in, a corner, a ball crossing the line or whatever. I think four calls a game would be more than enough for both teams.”

Saturday’s match was decided on the moment of controversy after Derby keeper Frank Fielding floundered at Aaron Cresswell’s cross and Andrews nodded towards the goal at the far post.

Bailey cleared the ball away and television replays later were unable to confirm whether the ball had crossed the line.

Rather than debate whether a goal had been scored or not, Clough was left more fuming by the actions of the assistant referee who never raised his flag and also the referee who appeared to only consult his linesman following Michael Chopra’s appeals.

And Rams skipper Shaun Barker revealed: “I said ‘what is going on?’ If the linesman has not flagged, then he obviously did not think it was a goal.

“The referee said that over his mic he thought he was hearing ‘no, no, no’ from the linesman but in fact he was hearing ‘goal, goal, goal’. My first thought was that if it’s a goal then the flag goes up.”

Clough, who has pledged to mention the “poor” performance from the officials in his post-match report, added: “We couldn’t see from where we are but traditionally, if a linesman thinks it’s a goal, he puts his flag up. That is what we have always seen in 30-odd years of football.”

n What do you think? Would Jewell’s ‘challenge system’ work or do you have a better idea?

Let us know at dave.gooderham@archant.co.uk