Ged Garner penalty equaliser shocked Fleetwood head coach Simon Grayson and Sunderland boss Lee Johnson for very different reasons

Ged Garner's penalty equaliser for Fleetwood Town surprised his head coach Simon Grayson and incensed Sunderland boss Lee Johnson.
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Johnson's side led 2-0 after 80 minutes at Highbury on Saturday only for Town to stretch their unbeaten run to five games courtesy of Callum Morton's fifth goal in three matches and Garner's last-gasp spot-kick.

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It was awarded in the fifth minute of stoppage time, when referee Neil Hair ruled that Morton had been held back by Bailey Wright.

Cool-headed Ged Garner equalises for Fleetwood from the penalty spotCool-headed Ged Garner equalises for Fleetwood from the penalty spot
Cool-headed Ged Garner equalises for Fleetwood from the penalty spot

It wasn't the most obvious of penalties but Garner needed no second invitation to send Sunderland keeper Thorben Hoffmann the wrong way and grab a point for Town.

Grayson was quick to hail Garner’s coolness in stepping up in front of the Memorial Stand and slotting in.

But it wasn't the forward's calmess that shocked Grayson, who revealed: "Ged took it really well. Yesterday he took 20 penalties in training and went the opposite way!

"Even I didn’t know which way he was going with it.

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"It takes some bravery to want to step up and take it. He wasn't shying away from it.

"He grabbed the ball as all good strikers do. When they are confident they just want to add to their goal tally. He scored last week and has another one today, so that's great from his perspective."

Opposite number Johnson had a different view, which was clear when the Sunderland boss stormed onto the field to confront the official after the final whistle.

Johnson said he’ll be keeping an eye on Hair in the coming weeks to see if he continues to dish out such penalties.

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“I’m going to watch his games over the next six weeks or so and look out for every little bit of contact in the box,” said the Black Cats boss.

“It happens in every box for every cross and every corner and he’s just given them charity.”

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