Referee’s decision making criticised by Phil Parkinson and Noel Hunt after Wrexham lose to Reading

Referee’s decision making criticised by Phil Parkinson and Noel Hunt after Wrexham lose to Reading in League One on Tuesday night.

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson was particularly vocal about a penalty awarded against his side in the 51st minute, when referee Edward Duckworth ruled that Eoghan O’Connell had fouled Jayden Wareham.

Harvey Knibbs converted the spot-kick, opening the scoring for Reading., but Parkinson described the call as “one of the softest penalty decisions I’ve seen in a long time” and argued it was a turning point in a game of few chances, asserting it was “never a penalty in a million years.”

He further criticised the referee, expressing frustration that the game “swung” on what he called a “ridiculous decision.”

Reading manager Noel Hunt took issue with a separate call late in the match, with Reading leading 2-0, thanks to a second goal from Lewis Wing in the 55th minute, Michael Stickland was sent off in the final 15 minutes after receiving a second yellow card for time-wasting.

Hunt called the decision “ridiculous,” arguing that Stickland’s actions were typical in football and that the referee was overly hasty, not even issuing a warning beforehand.

Parkinson also said that Stickland’s sending-off was a “poor decision” from Reading’s perspective, though he noted Wrexham couldn’t capitalise on the numerical advantage despite having chances to get back into the game.

“I felt that the first half showed that the two teams had had hard games on Saturday. It was all a little bit flat,” ex-Reading player Phil Parkinson said, per nation.cymru.

“Reading had a lot of possession and were a bit too comfortable at times for our liking. We spoke about that at half-time.

“And then in the second half, the ref’s given them a penalty. It was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen.

“It’s one of the softest penalties I’ve seen for many a year. How he could give that is absolutely incredible. You had to see it to believe it.

“Clearly, it was the ref’s big night tonight. We’ve got a bit of history with the ref and I think that he’s been waiting for this moment.

“If he thinks that that’s a penalty, then we’ve got problems. Of course, it gave Reading a huge lift and we could’ve done better for the second goal.

“After that, then Reading’s sending off. For them, that was a poor decision from the ref.

“But we’ve had plenty of chances after that. I felt that if we had got one back, we’d have got right back in the game.”

Hunt spoke on Stickland receiving a second yellow card for time-wasting, saying, per Reading Chronicle: “It was ridiculous- I can’t catch my breath with it. It happens every week in every game.

“I thought he was so quick with it- and to not give him a warning! It was Joel’s choice, we wanted to kick, and we had the right to squeeze the kick. The ball had just gone down.

“We will look into the rules, I’m not sure if we can appeal it or not because I thought Stickers was brilliant and has been in the last two games. He was thrown into the deep end, and he has had to swim.”

On the showing from his side: “Yeah, one of them [best performances of season]. We’ve had a few here but the magnitude of the team we were playing so to go and put in a performance like that and show the character and personality, I’m really pleased.

“We felt on Saturday we rushed too much and could have played more, especially in the second half. We spoke to the boys about having the character and personality to believe that we have the quality to pass and move, really pleasing.”

Fans reacted with the referee’s decision making criticised by Phil Parkinson and Noel Hunt after Wrexham lose to Reading…

@g_harvey0: appeal that surely

@CazParker1871: Appalling decision

@luke_1871: Some fucking win and performance that. Wrexham poor until that baffling refereeing decision. Bindon elite, Savage Wing and Knibbs never stopped. Fuck Ryan Reynolds and ya non fairytale ya Welsh gimps 👋 #readingfc

@Jdh72Joel: Ref knew that the Disney cameras were here and knew it was his big moment. Reading committed 5 fouls, ended the game with a yellow and a red card, Wrexham committed 17 (SEVENTEEN) fouls and didn’t receive a single card… #ReadingFC #WrexhamAFC

@georgestw1tter: That is the worst decision I’ve ever seen

@DingareMassive: Thats a shocking decision

@cian_paris: @FA_PGMOL suspend him. Only way he’ll learn

@Caryslee99: What did he do to deserve a second yellow?! Ridiculous.

@SteveWaz230: Just realised why @Wrexham_AFC are getting nothing from the referee. The one, the only Ed Duckworth!!

@prestige_boost: Worst referee decision I’ve ever seen. The amount of times that’s happened to a team against us, and the one time we do it, it’s an instant yellow. FUCK EFL!!!! 🖕 #readingfc

@_JackRFC_: Worst decision I’ve ever seen on a football pitch, fuck me

@cian_paris: He has to be investigated, he wasn’t even taking the free kick. I know we’re winning but that is very criminal and the PGMOL really needs to punish him

@connor_mh: Not another soft decision towards them is it? Can’t be 🥴

@Caryslee99: That was not a second yellow?! Honestly didn’t think EFL refs could get any worse. Sad thing is I don’t think we can appeal it 🫠