Hughes expecting another ref apology after Bradford City penalty woe

Hughes expects to receive another apology confessing that the official blundered with a penalty decision.

The Bantams boss was scathing about Paul Howard’s display in Tuesday’s home loss - particularly with awarding Rochdale a spot-kick moments after turning down City’s shouts for one.

Hughes said: “I don’t try and highlight referees. We are all judged on our own individual performances and referees have to be judged as well.

“No doubt, I’ll get a letter apologising once we send in our report and saying we were correct and the referee was wrong. But it doesn’t allow us to regain the points that we’ve lost.

“It’s about making sure the referees get the key moments right and the big decisions that directly affect the result.

“They have to be absolutely certain in their own mind that what they give is what they’ve seen.

“Sometimes I think these guys are just guessing and hoping to get decisions correct, rather than being in the right place at the right time and having the gumption to make the right decision.”

City missed the chance to overtake Carlisle and move up to fourth - there is only one point separating six teams down to Mansfield in ninth.

Mark Hughes was angry with referee Paul Howard (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“We’ve seen ourselves that if you go on a run you can shoot up again.

“It’s up to us to put this behind us, accept referees like ourselves will have poor performances and go into the next one.

“It’s frustrating for the players. It was a difficult result to take on board because of the circumstances.

“It wasn’t a great surface but we’re not factoring that in.

“It was just a night where you needed the referee to be on the spot and get the key decisions right and then I feel we’d have won the game.

“But he’s played a hand and it’s gone away from us unfortunately.”

Abo Eisa scored for the second consecutive game after being used a second striker alongside Vadaine Oliver.

“He’s looking in confident mood and we’re pleased where he is at the moment,” added Hughes.

“He’s obviously had a lot of setbacks injury-wise as we all know. But he’s looking really strong and effective.

“You can see that he has a good understanding of the role. Although he’ll be disappointed like the rest of the lads, he’ll be pleased with his own personal performance.”

Hughes had kept top scorer Andy Cook on the bench until the 83rd minute - a decision that infuriated some fans as City tried to chase the game.

“I thought Vadaine and Abo were doing well enough as a pair and deserved to stay on.

“When you bring Cooky on and leave Vadaine, you have to change the whole team round. I had to take Abo away from the frontline.

“Sometimes going with two big guys at the front doesn’t always have the effect you want.”

Matt Derbyshire will come into contention for the weekend trip to Wimbledon. He was not included on Tuesday because his international clearance had only just come through.

“It was a little bit late so, in my own mind, I’d planned without him,” said Hughes.

“He had been ill with a chest infection and hadn’t had too many training sessions with the group. He’ll train all this week so he will be available.”

But he admitted Scott Banks is likely to be out for another week as the winger’s issue with his shin and calf proves slow to clear.

“He’s feeling better and been out on the grass. But he’s still feeling something and we haven’t really got to the bottom of it.”