MARK Hughes blasted the performance of referee Paul Howard after City’s shock home loss to Rochdale.

The Lancashire strugglers came from behind to win 2-1 at Valley Parade as the Bantams missed the chance to go fourth.

But Hughes was fuming about two penalty decisions which swung the direction of the game.

He was adamant City, who were leading 1-0 at the time, should have got a spot-kick when Rochdale defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell slid into goal scorer Abo Eisa.

And the Bantams chief was furious that London official Howard, having turned that down, then awarded one for the visitors for Brad Halliday’s challenge on Devante Rodney.

Hughes said: "We were quite comfortable in the game and 1-0 to the good. We should have had a penalty at 1-0 and why the referee has not deemed that a penalty, I have no idea.

"The lad has taken Abo clean out. Abo has come back and left the ball there and the lad has just cleared him out.

“A penalty at that stage - and 2-0 to the good - we would have won the game quite comfortably, I feel.

"And then lo and behold, they go up the other end and Brad was initially fouled as he was ahead of the guy and had his arm pulled back.

“I think that is what unbalanced him and there was a coming together and that's all there is - one of many challenges on the pitch.

"And the referee saw fit to give that as a penalty, which everybody in the crowd, including the Rochdale fans over that side of the pitch, were generally surprised that it was given.”

It was the latest penalty controversy to go against the Bantams, who have already received two apologies from the refereeing bosses about wrong calls. Again, it occurred at the Bradford end of the ground.

Hughes added: "We have had a lot of penalties go against us at that side of the pitch.

“Whether or not it echoes a little bit louder over that side and the referee has reacted to that, I have no idea. But it does not seem to have the same reaction at the other end of the pitch when we have blatant penalties.

"I was disappointed with that decision and clearly it was a foul on Brad initially.

"Having not really played as well as we can, we were comfortable and then back on level terms and then their second goal was offside.

“I have seen it back and it was another key decision which went against us.”