Wolves manager Mick McCarthy accused referee Mark Halsey of getting two big decisions "wrong" after watching his side slump to a 2-1 home defeat against Newcastle - their fourth consecutive Barclays Premier League reverse.
Trailing 2-0 in the first half to goals from Demba Ba and Jonas Gutierrez, Halsey first failed to spot a clear foul by Steven Taylor on Jamie O'Hara inside the area. Wolves then had a late equaliser ruled out when the officials ruled that the ball had gone out of play in the build up to Kevin Doyle's goal.
McCarthy said: "I guess you'd like me to blame them (the officials), and I'd probably be justified in doing so. But we gave two goals away to start with which came right out of the blue. But when you're having a tough time you do rely on people getting decisions right, and quite clearly they got them wrong."
McCarthy was backed by Newcastle boss Alan Pardew, whose side are now unbeaten in their last 10 league games stretching back to the end of last season.
Asked if his side deserved the win, Pardew replied: "I don't think deserved is the word I'd use today. We did play well in the first half which gave us a platform to win the game, but Wolves were very good.
"I watched their last two performances here when they were beaten, but they were a lot better today, and they can take great heart from it. In my view, if you want to use the word deserved, they deserved something from the game themselves."
As for the penalty, again Pardew backed McCarthy, adding: "I saw the fans' reaction and I honestly thought it was a penalty. I had already accepted that one."
Pardew's words were but a crumb of comfort for McCarthy, who added: "Pards is honest enough. Why would he say anything else when he knows different? It would make him look silly, and he's not that. He's an intelligent bloke. He's honest about it, and they've got away with that one today."
In the end Newcastle were also indebted to goalkeeper Tim Krul for five excellent saves, resulting in rightful praise from Pardew. He said: "He's had more work to do today than in three of our games. That's why you need a good goalkeeper."
ttp://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk (Newcastle United's official website)
Source: PA
Source: PA