INTERIM Cherries head coach Gary O’Neil thought the spot-kick awarded against his side at Nottingham Forest was “harsh” and said: “If that is a pen, I feel like we're in a ridiculous place.”

The Dorset club were penalised after Neco Williams’s fierce strike cannoned off the hand of Lloyd Kelly at the City Ground just before the interval.

Referee Michael Oliver, who had given the spot-kick on-field, was asked to look at the pitchside monitor by VAR Graham Scott.

But the official stuck with his original decision. Brennan Johnson fired home from 12 yards to make it 2-0 to the hosts.

Cherries however roared back with goals from Philip Billing, Dom Solanke and Jaidon Anthony to take all three points.

Asked about the penalty decision, O’Neil said: “I was surprised. I obviously saw it back and I thought it was harsh.

“It’s just hard to know. I said to the fourth official at the time, I don’t even know the rule now. Is that a pen? Is it not a pen?

“I mean, if that is a pen, I feel like we're in a ridiculous place.

“I think it’s Nico Williams that had the shot and he smashed it at probably 60, 70 miles-per-hour at Lloyd Kelly from a yard away.

“It's hard to know what a natural position is for your arm, but I think Lloydy's was probably in it.

“I think Lloydy's arm looks worse after the ball has hit it, probably, because it flings up in the air off the ball.

“So, yeah, I was surprised and I thought that could be a killer blow for us – 1-0 going in at half-time, I was really positive around what I felt and what I was going to say to the boys.

“But I thought that 2-0 was a real tough blow for us at that moment, so fair play to them for the response."