'He got it completely wrong' Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock fumes at refereeing decision after Norwich City defeat

Boro were beaten 1-0 at the Riverside after Teemu Pukki scored a late penalty 18 minutes from time.

Warnock’s side also had a spot kick when the game was goalless but Marcus Tavernier’s effort was ruled out after the Boro player slipped and touched the ball twice.

Yet Warnock was unhappy with a later incident when substitute Sam Folarin was fouled by Norwich defender Jacob Sorensen in the closing stages but didn’t receive a second yellow card.

“You need a bit of luck,” said Warnock after the game. “When Sam goes past that kid on the far side with ten to go, and he doesn’t send him off for a second booking. It was worse than the first.

“He didn’t even book him. And for him to say to me after the game he didn’t think Sam was going to catch the ball. The ball was only going to go ten yards maximum when you look at it back, 15 at most, and Sam will be through.

“Why is he telling me that, because he knows he is completely wrong. They all know he should have got sent off.“Why haven’t we got officials that know what they are doing. It is a disgrace.”

On the referee’s performance, Warnock added: “I wish you could speak to him because when he tells me Sam is not going to catch it and you look at the video, one cut of grass, he will have three more cuts of grass before he is in the box. Why is he saying that? Is he telling a lie? Or did he actually think that. I will have to write down and ask. Did he see that?

“Maybe I should ask the referee chief. It will come back ‘no he should have sent him off’. What good is that to me? And I felt he had a decent game today, so how do I mark him.

“That’s the best I have seen him play, I have had some nightmares with him. That’s as good as I have seen him referee and he got it completely wrong there.

“We are talking about a lad stopping us taking a quick free-kick near the goalmouth, he was warned with four minutes to go that next time it is a booking. Just book him, then he will know not to do it.

"Honestly the laws of the game, the people running it now … Mike Riley, that was like Mike Riley Part II today watching him. He will probably end up running the referees association this guy.”

Despite the result Warnock was pleased with his side’s overall performance.

“I loved watching us today, I really enjoyed watching us,” added the Boro boss.

“Paddy (McNair) has played three games and been all over. Then they come and pick one player to be drug tested and they pick Sav who has had a horrendous week family-wise.

“We will be ready to go again on Wednesday.”

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