Tuesday 3 March 2015 16:43, UK
Mark Hughes believes the best team won in Stoke's 1-0 victory over Hull, but was left fuming at the officials for missing a "shocking" challenge on Stephen Ireland.
Peter Crouch's 71st-minute header secured a Stoke victory in a poor game at the Britannia Stadium, but Hughes feels the game was overshadowed by the challenge on Ireland from Maynor Figueroa late in the first half.
The tackle left Ireland needing '12-15 stitches' in his calf and having to be replaced by Charlie Adam at the interval, with Hughes furious the challenge was left unpunished.
“I was really disappointed with the performance of the referee and his officials,” Hughes said. “We all talk about certain challenges in games in recent weeks but this is worse than any of them in my view.
“The officials didn’t do their jobs today. We had a couple of yellow cards which I thought, in comparison to the one they missed on Stephen Ireland, was astounding really.
"The tackle could have finished his career. Why the referee hasn't given a straight red for that, I have no idea. The referees have got to get their act together, really.
"He has had it all stitched up and hopefully it doesn't get infected, but that is the risk over the next couple of days.
“Unfortunately we lost Bojan, Stephen Ireland came in and did really well for us in a similar position and now we’ve lost him. Although we’ve won that has really taken the edge off the day.”
Stoke produced the only two shots on target in a game where clear-cut chances were at a premium, while there was some debate post-match as to whether Crouch's match-winner should have stood.
Hull boss Steve Bruce was convinced the header was offside, although Hughes believes the correct decision was made, adding: "In my view. he was onside or at least level so the onus should always go with the attacker.
"We deserved to win the game today. I didn’t think Hull really came here to engage us, they were quite happy to get people behind the ball to make it difficult for us.
“We were the only team with ambition, the only team that wanted to take the game and try and create and probe, so we delighted that were in the end able to take the game away from Hull.”
Record breaker
Crouch’s fourth goal in as many matches was the former England international’s 46th Premier League header, lifting him above Dion Dublin and level with Alan Shearer at the top of the all-time list.
“Any record that Alan Shearer holds is a good record to have and I’m very pleased to equal such a fantastic player,” Crouch told Sky Sports. “Hopefully I can get a few more.
“I think we had probably had that little more belief that we were going to win, and aside from the last few minutes at the end I thought we were in control.
“It was a scrappy game, but they’re the ones that if you want to be in the top half of the league you’ve got to win and fortunately we did.”
