McCarthy left fuming at more perceived refereeing injustice

Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy was once again left feeling a major sense of injustice after his side lost 2-1 at Reading tonight courtesy of a last-gasp penalty.

All three goals came from very controversial spot-kick awards, with the crucial moment coming in the fourth and final minute of stoppage-time after Jonas Knudsen was penalised for grappling with Joey van den Berg at a corner.

McCarthy was lost for words in his immediate post-match television interview and was still fuming when speaking to the press a little while later.

“I have to say I think all three are soft,” he said. “Their guy has run into Jonas. They are grappling, but the pair of them are doing it. We’ve all had a warning, because he’s booked somebody just before, but he (the referee) could have done that in either box on a number of occasions. But he chose to do it in the 90-whatever-it-was minute.”

The Blues boss continued: “They were shouting for it every time. I think he just tried to run into Jonas. I wonder whatever happened to just standing your ground and heading the ball out? That was my modus operandi as a player. It wasn’t about blocking people back then.

“That happens in both boxes these days though and I guess the rule will affect all of us on different days. I’m sure we’ll get one at some point – well, I hope we do.

“We’ve had two goals disallowed, which were goals, against Wolves and Norwich. We’ve had two penalties against us today, so things are going particularly well with me and the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited)!

“I’m told it’s a bad tackle by (George) Evans earlier in the game. Somebody’s told me that should be a red card, but I haven’t seen that back yet. Maybe that will be another whinge.

“I would prefer never ever to talk about them (referees). I show them a huge respect by going in to see them before the game when not many managers do. I’d like a bit of that back at some stage this season.”

McCarthy, who stormed straight down the tunnel at the end before returning to shake players’ hands, continued: “I’ve come in here talking about all that and I think we’ve played really well.

“I guess they will probably say they deserved to win it because they had five or six hundred passes, but I don’t think that’s the case. I think we were the better team in the second half and looked more like winning it.

“Unfortunately – again – our result has been based on a referee’s decision.

“You can probably sense I’m livid. It’s difficult to come out and speak after that.”