Monday 28 September 2015 10:45, UK
A furious Uwe Rosler claimed the officials cost Leeds in their 3-0 Championship loss to Middlesbrough.
Rosler was livid that his side were denied a goal in the 56th minute when, with Boro 2-0 ahead, Lewis Cook flicked Gaetano Berardi's volley to Mirco Antenucci, who finished coolly.
The goal was initially given, only for a long consultation between referee Neil Swarbrick and linesman Scott Ledger to end with the latter retrospectively raising the flag for offside.
That incident came at a point where Rosler was already enraged by his belief that Cristhian Stuani had committed multiple fouls without being properly punished.
Leeds' misery was compounded when Diego Fabbrini punished Sol Bamba's slip to finish the game off in the 81st minute, his effort following up David Nugent's opener and a Giuseppe Bellusci own goal.
Rosler said: "The referee had a poor day. He got two major decisions wrong. Stuani should not have been on the field and obviously the goal too.
"He [the linesman] told me he had to ask the referee so he wasn't sure. How can you give offside when you're not sure? He has to be 100 per cent sure.
"It was the turning point in the game. You can't even be sure watching on TV."
Middlesbrough's players surrounded the linesman after Antenucci's goal was initially given - something Rosler's charges did not do.
"When you're overly nice you don't get far in life sometimes," admitted Rosler. "I told them [they should have gone over]. From now on, we will."
Speaking about Stuani, the German added: "I believe the other key thing was Stuani not being off the field. He committed so many fouls before he was booked and then took down Charlie Taylor.
"If a Leeds player committed the fouls Stuani did on Taylor, he would have gone off today. We have to be more ruthless."
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka did not concur with his opposite number's views.
"I don't think [the goal incident] is something that would have changed the game," he said.
"I don't think the referee was important for the outcome of the game."
Karanka was understandably delighted after watching Boro grab a seventh successive win in all competitions, which leaves them just a point adrift of top-of-the-table Brighton and three ahead of third-placed Reading.
"I don't think the score is a reflection of the game," he said. "But the main thing is that we have won and we have another three points on the table.
"I knew this was going to be a very difficult game - and it was. We are only in September, though, and we have to keep going.
"It's going to be difficult. Our next game is against Reading, who are one of the best teams in the league and have a very good manager."
