Town manager Joe Royle was thoroughly unimpressed with referee Paul Taylor's display as his side was knocked out of the Carling Cup 2-1 by Notts County at Meadow Lane.

Royle was particularly incensed at the 11th minute award of a spotkick: "We lost the game because of some mystifying decisions and our impotence in front of goal. County's penalty was possibly the softest that I have witnessed in my 30 years in this game.

"When Georges Santos was blatantly pushed twice in the box [in the last few minutes of the game] nothing was given and I was astonished that it was the assistant referee who had to give us a penalty when we got one.

"With four forwards on the pitch I was disappointed that we didn't create more but you have to credit County because they were magnificent in defence."

County boss Billy Dearden was pleased for the long-suffering Meadow Lane support: "It is the fans that I am especially pleased for because I know what they have been going through for the past 16 months while we have been in administration.

"It is so nice to be talking about football for a change and I thought it was a really good cup tie.

"The two penalties were a bit dubious but that is the way it goes. We had three or four chances to kill them off on the break in the second half and I am disappointed we did not do that."

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