Chester FC joint-manager Bernard Morley believed his and Anthony Johnson's side 'were robbed' after they were denied three points at Stockport County.
Akwasi Asante's fourth goal in two games gave Chester the lead on 33 minutes but dubious penalty was awarded to Stockport on the stroke of half time after substitute Deane Smalley, on in place of the injured Danny Livesey, was deemed to handle the ball by referee Adam Herczog.
But Morley was far from impressed with the performance of Herczog in the 1-1 draw and his decision to award the penalty and the wave away shouts for a similar handball for the opposition late in the game.
And in a game where Chester had chances to claim all three points, Morley was disappointed to come away with just one.
"I've got to choose my words wisely here – I feel like we were robbed today," said Morley.
"I’ve been managing for 10 years and it’s not often that I’ve said that, but it was a game of two halves. I felt the decision in the first half it was, from where I was stood, diabolical. Equally in the second half, he’s had the chance to, if you want to call it even it up, with what I believe is a stonewall penalty. I think he’s controlled it with his arm but he’s not given it.
"We made two fouls in the game and he’s booked two of our players and they’ve made 15 or 16 fouls and he’s not booked a single one. I need to go back to the drawing board and see what the rules are, but I’m really frustrated and all I can say is we’ve been robbed today."
Livesey hobbled off with a calf injury on 22 minutes and with no defensive cover on the bench the Blues bosses looked to Smalley, a striker, to pay alongside Steve Howson at the heart of the back four.
Morley said: "You can never legislate for what happened to Danny today. It was a gamble putting Deane in there – we all know that, a centre forward who’s not really had many minutes, but we believe in him.
"He’s experienced and he’s played at a good level. We asked him just to do the easy things right and, to be fair, he tried to be a little bit clever as soon as came on and got caught, but from that he grew into the game and I think he finished the game really strong.
"His experience is valuable and I’m disappointed for the boys. I thought in terms of application, heart, desire and determination, they ticked every box today and 100% deserved the three points.
"Football’s cruel, but you’ve got to respect Stockport. They went to Yeovil and beat them there. They went to Barnet last week and by all accounts could have got something there.
"For Chester to come to their place today and outplay them like they did, I’m a little bit gutted for the boys, but that’s football. That’s what happens – if you don’t take your chances, you don’t win games of football, that’s the basics, that’s the be all and end all.
"We’ve just got to take something out of the game which is a positive to go to such a big football club and I won’t say outplay them because I don’t want any sort of disrespect towards Stockport in any way, shape or form, but I just feel like we were the miles better side on the day."
Chester have a free weekend next Saturday following their exit from the FA Trophy and are next in action when they host AFC Telford United on December 22 at the Swansway Chester Stadium.
