CARDIFF City boss Malky Mackay could not hide his anger after referee Simon Hooper failed to send off Arran Lee-Barrett at Portman Road this afternoon.

The Ipswich keeper was only shown a yellow card for the ninth minute incident when he flattened Cardiff’s Joe Mason.

The striker had burst clear but pushed the ball wide of Lee-Barrett before being fouled. The fact Damien Delaney had raced back to cover the goal might also have persuaded the match official.

But speaking after the game, Mackay said: “It is incredible. At the time, you look at it and the whole stadium, even Ipswich fans, have their heart in their mouths.

“The manager blows his cheeks and looks at me when the yellow card goes up – it is an incredible decision.

“I asked about it at half-time, calmly, and he felt the goalkeeper tried to nick the ball away from our centre forward with one foot.

“I think any one who has looked at it has seen two feet off the ground, flying in, hits him about the knee and takes him out.

“If that is a challenge in midfield or even a centre-back on someone in the middle of the park – forget goalscoring opportunity – it is a sending off.

“It is a defining moment and one I cannot get my head round. And it is one the referee supervisor and head of referees will see on Monday and I will be looking for feedback immediately.”

But Mackay could have little argument with the overall manner of Town’s 3-0 win, especially in a second half they largely dominated, Michael Chopra and Lee Martin scoring after the latter had given Ipswich the lead in the 20th minute.

Summing up, the Cardiff manager said: “Over the course of the first half, we had plenty of attacks and I was actually quite happy with the way we were playing.

“We gave the ball away 20 yards from our goal and they scored a good goal from it – so I was disappointed with that.

“In the second half, we were second best.”