John Mousinho laid into referee Geoff Eltringham after a controversial penalty award helped Watford to come back from behind to beat Portsmouth 2-1.
Watford manager Tom Cleverley, though, was annoyed with Mousinho for suggesting Kwadwo Baah’s red card after the final whistle should be a sackable offence.
Zak Swanson fired Pompey ahead early on but Edo Kayembe cancelled that out via a second-half spot-kick Portsmouth were adamant should not have been given.
Substitute Rocco Vata then tapped home in stoppage time to complete the comeback, with Baah’s taunting of the away fans after the final whistle earning him a second booking.
Mousinho said: “I thought the referee’s performance, particularly in the second half, was well below the standard we need at this level. It was very, very strange, the whole performance.
“I’m furious because we need more. I’m just lost for words about how we have to deal with this every single week.
“I’m angry with the players for not dealing with the long kick but it is difficult to be angry with this group of players for that performance.”
Mousinho remained unsure whether Freddie Potts’ challenge on Baah for the penalty was inside or outside the box, with Eltringham awarding it on the advice of an assistant.
He said: “At the time I thought no penalty because the referee didn’t give a penalty. I don’t know how it has been given.”
Eltringham had to deal with a ruckus on the goal-line as soon as the spot-kick was converted as players both sides wrestled for the ball. Mousinho claimed Pompey substitute Paddy Lane had been assaulted.
He said: “The referee allowed eight players to surround our keeper and Lane gets punched in the face and nothing happens.”
That was certainly not the case when Baah made gestures towards Portsmouth fans after the final whistle.
Mousinho said: “We will never ever do that.
“If one of my players did that they would be in serious danger of never playing for the club again.”
That annoyed Watford manager Cleverley, who had not been impressed with Mousinho’s touchline behaviour which saw him booked after the penalty went in.
He said: “To hear that John has been commenting on my players is disappointing.
“There was a group of players who kept their head during the second half and that was radiated from our bench. And there was a group that lost theirs, which was radiated from their bench.
“I’m disappointed with John’s comments because his own behaviour was ultimately what cost his team in the second half.
“I won’t aim anything at the referee – it was a difficult game to manage.”
Cleverley made no attempt however to excuse Baah, who had been booked in the first half for a challenge on Matt Ritchie.
Baah’s post-match antics angered Pompey players as well as supporters, with substitute Terry Devlin confronting him before Cleverley ushered him away.
Cleverley said: “I will deal with KB internally.
“You want to win with humility and dignity. I want all my players to be under the microscope at high levels and KB needs to get use to that sort of scrutiny. He will come under abuse at times and has to deal with it better.
“Now he is earning his lesson the hard way. We have to say he deserved it. You are told as players and coaches you can’t goad supporters because of the hostile environment that can cause.”
