IPSWICH Town manager Paul Jewell blasted lineswoman Amy Fearn after the controversial non-award of a late penalty ended up costing his side at Birmingham City.

The Blues lost 2-1 due to a stoppage-time goal from Nikola Zigic, but had seen strong appeals for a spot-kick waved away in the 81st minute.

Lee Martin – scorer of a superb solo equaliser in the first half – appeared to have got the wrong side of home skipper Steven Caldwell in the box, only to go down under a tangle of legs.

“Unfortunately it looked a penalty to every man in the stadium, but not every woman,” said Jewell.

“Although the referee didn’t have a good view, the lineswoman – or whatever she’s called – had a good view and still didn’t give it.

“It wasn’t even debatable, it was a stonewall penalty, it’s a sending off, but he (referee Robert Lewis) didn’t give it. You better ask him – or her – why they didn’t.

“I asked them at the end but it was a wall of silence.”

This was the most spirited display seen in weeks by Town, but again they were undone by two sloppy defensive errors as Zigic scored following two long throw-ins at either end of the match.

Jewell said: “The players’ effort was great, but the two goals we’ve given away – again – are two bad goals.

“They’re from two long throws, but in between that there were a lot of good points.

“We should have had a penalty, we should have got at least a draw, but while it would be easy to feel sorry for ourselves we have to keep going, keep working hard and hope that something does turn our way.

“If we play like that we’ll win more games than we lose.”

Meanwhile, Jewell revealed that – having agreed terms with Leicester for transfer-listed centre-back Sean St Ledger – the switch has now been put on hold.

He said: “Leicester have got a cup replay against Nottingham Forest and they must have just remembered that yesterday because they’ve now decided they want to keep him for that.

“We have got other irons in the fire, but that was the one we thought would happen.

“We think Sean is a good player, but we’ll have to see what happens.”