SCOTT Parker admitted he was worried Dominic Solanke may not have had the opportunity to convert from the penalty spot after being taken down by Enda Stevens.

The Irishman was penalised for a challenge which caught the Cherries striker on his thigh, shortly after Sheffield United had taken the lead at Vitality Stadium.

Replays appear to show Stevens's foul on Solanke occurred outside the box, with Blades boss Slavisa Jokanovic describing the decision to award a penalty as a "joke".

Asked for his take on the controversial penalty call, Parker told the Daily Echo: "I’ve not seen it. Definitely it was a foul, but I thought it was obviously just a penalty.

"But I’m hearing now maybe it was outside the box. I was then thinking, is he going to get sent off?

"So I’m not sure on that. I’ve not seen it back, but maybe that was the case.

"Dom needed to be cool in that moment. Cool head, scored a goal."

Solanke appeared to be hobbling as he went to take the spot-kick after receiving treatment.

"I was worried a little bit because he’s our penalty taker," admitted Parker.

"The boy’s clattered into him and stopped him from probably scoring a goal and at that moment he’s got a clear shot on goal and he’s clattered into him.

"So at that moment it would’ve been very unjust that he got injured and wasn’t able to take the penalty, because he’s our penalty taker. Hence he scored the goal."