Former FIFA referee Graham Poll believes that Martin Atkinson was blameless over the incident which saw Clint Hill denied a clear goal and he has called for the introduction of goal-line technology.

The Queens Park Rangers defender headed a Joey Barton corner over the Bolton Wanderers goal line during the first half of their 2-1 defeat on Saturday but, despite animated protests, play continued.

In his Daily Mail column, 48-year-old Poll wrote: "Referee Martin Atkinson is not to blame for failing to spot that Clint Hill's header for QPR went in. It is the assistant who looks along the goal-line at a corner.

"With looking for offside as well and the ball travelling so fast, understandably goals are missed and it shows why we need goal-line technology.

"However, assistant Bobby Pollock was looking along the line and should have indicated a goal had been scored."

Hours after the incident, the FA reiterated their "strong desire" for the use of goal-line technology in England.