Is This The Craziest Handball Decision Of The Season Bristol City Fans Are Going Wild

Bristol City secured a well-deserved 3-1 victory over Preston in the Sky Bet Championship, but the match will be remembered for a highly contentious opening goal that has left fans and pundits alike scratching their heads.

The hosts had barely settled into their rhythm when the visiting side was awarded a freekick on the edge of the box. The subsequent set-piece was launched into the box, where a scramble ensued, and in the midst of all the chaos, Yu Hirakawa handled the ball.

Or at least that's what everyone thought had happened. Preston players frantically appealed to the referee, claiming handball, but their protests fell on deaf ears. As the assistant referee similarly chose to disregard the claims, the linesman appeared to flag, only to change his mind at the last second. Seemingly confused, he then consulted the referee, and together they chose to overlook the handball, awarding Bristol the goal instead.

The replays showed that Hirakawa did, in fact, make contact with the ball using his hand, which baffled the TV analysts as much as the spectators in the ground. The officials' performance left many calling for improved VAR (Video Assistant Referee) technology in the Sky Bet Championship, which they believe could help mitigate such incidents moving forward.

In the aftermath of the disputed goal, Bristol City leveraged their luck to control a tightly contested match. Their persistence eventually paid off with Hirakawa, who had provided the first goal, making a few chances that saw some potential scoring opportunities squandered.

The introduction of substitutes into the game did seem to stir a reaction from the hosts, as their determination suddenly found its reward in the last quarter of the match. Despite a late revival, however, it ultimately proved a little too little, a little too late for Preston. The defeat sees Preston stagnate in the lower half of the Sky Bet Championship table, and they will hope to reverse this disappointing trend in their upcoming encounters.