Stoke City FC

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• Manager:Tony Pulis

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Pulis unhappy with referee

03 Dec 2008 - 08:09:54

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Stoke City boss Tony Pulis blamed refereeing mistakes for his side's Carling Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of Championship side Derby County.

The Potters lost out to a 90th minute Nathan Ellington penalty following a controversial decision to punish defender Andy Griffin for handling a Przemyslaw Kazmierczak cross.

Pulis questioned the decision to award the penalty but was furious after referee Rob Styles ruled out a previous effort for the home side when he ruled Richard Cresswell had handled the ball in the build-up.

"The referee was only a few yards from that and the ball hit Richard in the stomach," claimed Pulis.

"Then he gives a penalty looking through a crowd of about 20 players, with the linesman not making a move.

"But I am not going to slaughter the referee, he just made a couple of mistakes.

"The ball hit Andy Griffin's hand, but how much intent there was I don't really know.

"He (Styles) made a couple of mistakes in my book, but then so did a few of my players.

"It was our fault we have gone out. We had plenty of chances and Ricardo Fuller could have had four."