Premier League: Referee’s lack of bravery cost us all three points, claims Hughes
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 STOKE CITY 1
STOKE manager Mark Hughes accused referee Kevin Friend of cowardice after his side snatched a draw at Newcastle through substitute Peter Crouch’s last-minute header.
Hughes was angry that Magpies goalscorer Jack Colback avoided a second yellow card for a tackle of Victor Moses moments before firing the hosts into the lead 16 minutes from time.
“The disappointment, as you would imagine, is the fact that the referee wasn’t brave enough to make the right decision at a key moment in the game,” he said.
“Lo and behold, he goes and scores the goal that possibly might have stopped us taking anything out of the game. If the referee had been strong and made the right decision, they would have been down to 10 and I think we would have won the game.”
Stoke remain 10th in the Premier League, one place above Newcastle.