Midfielder Alan Judge was left angry by what he felt was probably one of the worst decisions he’d ever seen after Sunderland were awarded the 84th-minute penalty which saw them to victory over the Blues at the Stadium of Light last night.

Central defender Mark McGuinness kicked the ball against his own arm as he looked to clear and referee Peter Wright, who had already controversially sent off Town midfielder Andre Dozzell, pointed to the spot.

Ex-Blues captain Grant Leadbitter, who had been involved in the Dozzell incident, netted the penalty.

Asked how he was feeling after the game, Judge, who had watched the incident back on video, said: “Angry. I don’t know if you’ve seen the penalty back but it’s probably one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen.

“Mark’s not even looking at it and it’s just one of those where it’s hit him. I was pretty sure the rule got changed after handballs were given quite early [in the season]. In my eyes that’s not a penno and a lot of the Sunderland players said that themselves.”

Regarding the red card, he added: “I was a lot closer to it. I think Dozzer was pushed, I don’t think it’s a red card. I can see maybe why he gave it, but I don’t think it was a red card.

“I think there was a foul initially on Dozzer and the momentum’s took him through. He’s won the ball, maybe his foot slid over the top of the ball but he hasn’t gone in there with any malice whatsoever.

“It’s funny though, they got away with clipping Gwion [Edwards] and Teddy [Bishop] about 20 times in the game and not one yellow card until the last five minutes for Leadbitter.”

Last night was hardly the first time that big calls have gone against the Blues over the last two seasons and Judge admitted it’s frustrating.

“I think some people would say the refereeing’s getting out of hand at the minute, some of the decisions,” he said.

“The Lincoln penno, fair enough, I wasn’t there at the game, but that penno decision tonight was unacceptable.”

Prior to the red card and penalty the Blues looked the more likely winners: “After playing against Crewe, a team who are built the way they played for the last however many years, we weren’t at our best but managed to win.

“We’re trying something different this year at the moment and I thought we played really well after the first five or six minutes.

“I thought it would have been the perfect away performance and if someone was going to win it would be us.

“I thought we had the better chances, Jack Lankester was unlucky not to score, I thought maybe we should have had a penalty [when Lankester looked to have been fouled by Bailey Wright]. If they got a penalty for what they did, we should have got a penno.

“Overall, I think we were definitely not happy with the way we played on Saturday but we were happy with the way we played tonight.

“I thought we played really well in the first half and I was really pleased with the way we pressed them at the start of the second half, we were all over them.

“It’s just disappointing because I think that would have been the perfect away performance. The pleasing thing for me was that we went 1-0 down and we came back into it and I think we just got on top.”

Despite the defeat the Blues remain second and reflecting on the opening 11 games of the campaign in which Town have won seven, drawn one and lost three, Judge is happy enough.

“I think for the way that we’re trying to play, I think we’re doing quite well at the moment,” he reflected. “There are going to be a few bumps along the way.

“We’re playing differently to the way we were last year. It takes time. As you saw at Doncaster, sometimes there will be mistakes and we’ll give away goals but then you’ll see tonight where I felt like everything was coming together, maybe we just needed to create a few more chances. Overall, I think we’re doing OK.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 10:44 - Nov 4 What penalty? There never was one, except, maybe for the foul on Lankester. Awful decision.
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Pencilpete added 10:49 - Nov 4 Theres no point being angry, even if the Ref is sacked, banned for life and holds a press conference saying what a pr1ck he is ... it doesn't give us our point back or change the result we have to move on simple as that. We are doing OK, we are up there challenging again when alot of people thought we'd be in lower mid table. Theres a plan and a strategy in place and everyone seems to be onboard so lets stay positive :)

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trncbluearmy added 11:07 - Nov 4 They have every right to be angry,and I hope they stay angry. When the team up the tempo, start mixing long and short and with Bishop, the best midfielder in this league by a country mile, in full stride we at last look a decent side Stay angry,get promotion, COYB
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carlo88 added 11:36 - Nov 4 Disappointed no nicknames for Lankester or McGuinness yet. Surely Lanky or Marko? Must try harder Judgy 5/10.
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OwainG1992 added 11:45 - Nov 4 Use that anger to drive us forwards lads. Hopefully we can beat Pompey in the cup Saturday as we'll then go two weeks without a match otherwise!
3

BettyBlue added 11:54 - Nov 4 Fans angered at yet another average Judge performance.
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MickMillsTash added 12:06 - Nov 4 Carlo88 Nicknames are a big issue, say what you like about McCarthy but he and TC would have sown this up on Day 1 of the players introduction to the squad - things have gone downhill. Lanks Ginno ?
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IpswichToon added 14:11 - Nov 4 For me the real sucker-punch is the fact that we still looked the better team even after Dozzer got sent off. The referee had to screw us even harder. I was saying to a mate before the game kicked off that this may well end up being the biggest game of the season for us - it would either kick us on for the season, or sew the seeds for a repeat of last season's collapse. If we lost 'fair', then so be it. But the way that all played out really angers me. Of all the teams for that to happen against!

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FenboyBlue added 14:51 - Nov 4 Judge Nutmeg: "Terrible ref, terrible ref, terrible terrible terrible ref. What do we want ? JUSTICE!"
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TractorRoyNo1 added 15:43 - Nov 4 Can we just say we won and take it to the Supreme Court for confirmation?
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runningout added 17:07 - Nov 4 If we were scoring plenty we wouldn't be wining about dodgy referees decisions.
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BlueBlood90 added 09:59 - Nov 5 Not as bad as the decision to sign you. Probably our highest earner and the least effective player we have. He doesn't score, doesn't assist. What does he actually do?
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Juggsy added 12:54 - Nov 5 If I was Judge I'd be more angry at my inability to contribute absolutely anything to the team.
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Icantbelieveyousaidt added 13:39 - Nov 5 Ah, it is your turn Mr Judge to be castigated. The experts can't moan about Chambers as he is playing well, Skuse is injured, and Kenlock is not in the team (though when he was, he did ok.). Is it more than coincidence that our record breaking home form is achieved with out any supporters - I think not.
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