FORMER Premier League official Paul Alcock says referees should be accountable if they make mistakes.

Two major incidents last weekend involving Rob Styles and Kent-based assistant Ian Gosling mean both have been removed from the list of appointments this weekend.

Styles awarded Chelsea a controversial penalty in the 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield, while Gosling failed to confirm David Healy's late equaliser for Fulham had crossed the line, which denied the Londoners a point against Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage.

Alcock, 53, Mall manager at the Chequers Centre in Maidstone, served five years as a Premier League referee, in a career spanning 32 years.

He said: "Rob Styles knows the consequences of getting something wrong, and if a referee is seen to have made an error, he knows he will be stood down the following week.

"They are professionals and so have to be accountable. I know he did apologise, but it was a big error."

He added: "I saw the incident on TV and the Chelsea player was already up in the air before contact was made, I didn’t consider it to be a foul.

"Ian Gosling has also been made accountable for his error."

Alcock, now an assessor, was thrust into the spotlight himself when Paolo Di Canio pushed him over after being sent off playing for Sheffield Wednesday against Arsenal at Hillsborough, with the Italian receiving a lengthy ban.

He added: "I have an element of sympathy for them because they are in the spotlight, and nobody would like to be under that pressure, because I know what that’s like.

"This will drag on though until there is another big story that makes the headlines."