Source: SKY_Sports
Sbragia frustrated by officials
Ricky Sbragia blamed poor refereeing decisions for 10-man Sunderland's 1-0 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday.[LNB] The Black Cats were forced to play out the majority of the match a man light after George McCartney was dismissed for tugging back Shaun Wright-Phillips when he was trying to latch on to a through ball on the edge of the Sunderland box.[LNB]Assistant referee Mo Matadar awarded the foul and then instructed referee Steve Tanner to dismiss the defender.[LNB]And under pressure coach Sbragia clearly felt the the decision had cost his team the game.[LNB]"I think it was vital," Sbragia told Sky Sports. "It changed the game completely. We were doing reasonably well, were quite comfortable in the game and for some reason he's given a sending off. [LNB]"At the end of the day the goalkeeper has got the ball in his hands so Wright-Phillips was never going to get it. The linesman made the decision so I'm really disappointed."[LNB]GripeMartin Fulop went on to save a tamely struck Robinho penalty and, though Sbragia had no complaints with that award following a reckless challenge from Steed Malbranque, he was unhappy with the eventual match winner.[LNB]Micah Richards it was who rose to head the ball home from a free-kick just short of the hour mark, but Sbragia has questioned the award of the set-piece as Kenwyne Jones tracked back to challenge Valeri Bojinov.[LNB]"I don't think it's a free-kick," Sbragia added. "I think he's let it run and he's come across Kenwyne and lost the ball.[LNB]"But defensively it was a poor goal from our point of view. We've let him come in between us and get a free header and you can't give Richards a free header from there.[LNB]"It would have been nice to get something here today, but I don't think we've moved in the table. [LNB]"It would've been nice to go into the international break with a point or three points but it's not happened. We've got the West Ham game in a couple of weeks and we know it will be very difficult. [LNB]"I think we've got to stay together, work hard and get some points on the board."[LNB]
