FORMER Premier League official Mark Halsey believes Cherries have had “every right to complain” about the standard of refereeing this season.

Halsey – who spent 12 years as a top-flight ref before retiring in 2013 – is adamant Eddie Howe’s team has been on the wrong end of a series of decisions.

His comments come after the latest incident saw Andre Marriner award Swansea a hotly-disputed penalty during Cherries’ 2-2 draw at Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

The West Midlands-based official had no hesitation in pointing to the spot after Swans frontman Andre Ayew had gone to ground during a tussle with Simon Francis.

Ayew took a tumble as he and the Cherries defender vied for possession with replays indicating the Ghanaian international had fallen over his own feet.

The controversial decision, which had looked questionable in real time, ended with Jonjo Shelvey netting the resultant penalty as Swans pulled back a 2-0 deficit.

Although Swans boss Garry Monk felt Marriner had made the correct call, he was in the minority and Halsey was convinced his former colleague had reached the wrong decision.

“He gave himself absolutely no time to think at all,” said Halsey. “There was a minute bit of contact but, in the end, Andre Ayew tripped himself up. It was never a penalty kick.

“Andre (Marriner) guessed a bit and I always say that if you are unsure about whether a foul has been committed or not, then give nothing.

“Bournemouth have had the rough end of the stick from referees since they came up to the Premier League and they have every right to complain.”

However, while Halsey felt Marriner had been wrong to award Swansea a spot-kick, he agreed the official had taken the right course of action following a robust tackle by Shelvey on Harry Arter late in the game.

Halsey was asked for his observations after being sent a copy of a picture taken by the Daily Echo’s Corin Messer which showed the England international lunging in on the Cherries midfielder.

Bournemouth Echo:

“He got cautioned but I think that was the correct decision as it was a reckless challenge,” said Halsey. “It didn’t need anything more.”

And while Shelvey’s challenge received widespread condemnation after the photograph had been posted to Twitter, Arter also came to the Swansea player’s defence.

Arter, a former team-mate of Shelvey’s at Charlton, told the Daily Echo: “Jonjo is alright. We grew up together and played together at youth team level.

“There was nothing in it. We are both competitive players and both of us really wanted to win. Afterwards, we had a little joke about things. It was nothing.”

REF JUSTICE

Cherries were on the wrong end of two controversial decisions during their 1-0 defeat at Liverpool in August.

Referee Craig Pawson disallowed a goal by Tommy Elphick after penalising the Cherries skipper for a push on Dejan Lovren.

Pawson then allowed a strike by Christian Benteke to stand despite it contravening new rules regarding offside.

The decision was widely criticised at the time with Eddie Howe describing it as “the clearest case” of the new interpretation. He said it had been a “huge worry” that it had not been seen, adding he had been “baffled”.

As a result, the Premier League accepted an error had been made and wrote to all clubs to clarify the new interpretation of the law.

During the 2-1 defeat at Stoke in September, Howe felt striker Glenn Murray had been harshly treated after a late free-kick had led to the hosts’ winner.

Referee Lee Mason penalised Murray for a foul just seconds before Mame Diouf headed Stoke’s winner with Howe claiming Potters striker Jonathan Walters had not been punished for a similar offence earlier in the game.

In the 1-0 defeat by Newcastle earlier this month, Cherries felt they should have been awarded two penalties.

Mason was again at the eye of the storm when he waved away their appeals after Fabricio Coloccini had wrapped his arm around Joshua King’s neck.

And the official also rejected their claims after Andrew Surman had been shoved to the floor by Chancel Mbemba.