Ipswich news: Mark Ashton 'needs answers' over VAR

Ipswich Town chief executive Mark Ashton believes football has been "worse off" since the introduction of video assistant referee (VAR) and has called for more "consistency" around its application in the Premier League.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on BBC Radio Suffolk's The Blue Hour, Ashton said: "From an entertainment perspective, I believe the game is worse off with VAR - from what I have seen.

"All I ask for with refereeing and VAR is consistency. We have not seen consistency. I don't personally believe, and my colleagues don't personally believe, that we have seen consistency over the games.

"All I look for is consistency. Right now, I am confused."

Ashton confirmed he has spoken to PGMOL chief Howard Webb after the Tractor Boys were denied a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Leicester City, after Abdul Fatawu appeared to push Conor Chaplin over in the box.

He added: "The culmination of the interesting conversation with Howard on Saturday night was that we will meet this week at Portman Road to discuss it. We need answers. We need to understand.

"At the moment, I cannot understand some of the refereeing decisions that were made and I struggle to understand why we weren't awarded a penalty.

"I have seen former referees giving their opinion that it wasn't a penalty, but they cannot be serious. Come on - don't just back your former colleagues - it was a stonewall penalty."