Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said that the referee should be ‘very disappointed’ after giving a ‘ridiculous’ penalty in his team’s defeat at Reading FC.
The Wrexham boss is fondly remembered as a club legend at Reading having made more than 350 appearances for the club, but didn’t have a happy return to Berkshire on Tuesday night.
With his team fighting for an automatic promotion place, it was Reading who got the better of them to strengthen their push for a top six finish.
Speaking after the match, Parkinson said: “It was very disappointing. The first half was a flat game, like two teams who had a tough game on the weekend.
“They had too much possession for our liking, but we probably had the best chance.
“It was a game of few chances and it turned on a ridiculous decision by the referee to give the penalty.
“He should be very disappointed with that call because the best refs get the big decisions right.
“It’s never a penalty in a million years. It gives them a big lift. The second goal, we can do better with, a quickfire goal.
“We had chances to get back in the game, chances cleared off the line and their keeper made good saves.
“You felt if we got a goal we would go on and get back in the game but it wasn’t to be.
“We will look at ourselves, but the game swung on one of the softest penalty decisions I’ve seen in a long time.”
Up next for Reading is another home match on Saturday when they host Stevenage as Noel Hunt’s side look to make it 10 games unbeaten.