Accrington boss John Coleman says decision in FA Cup exit left him 'physically sick'
Saturday 26 January 2019 18:32, UK
John Coleman said referee Jon Moss' decision to send off Daniel Barlaser in Accrington's FA Cup defeat to Derby left him "physically sick".
The Stanley boss launched a stinging attack on Premier League official Moss after full-time at the Wham! Stadium, where Accrington's best-ever run in the FA Cup was brought to an end by Championship Derby courtesy of Martyn Waghorn's goal 12 minutes from time.
Perhaps their fairytale could have continued had Barlaser not been dismissed with an hour gone when he picked up a second yellow card, and Coleman laid the blame firmly at Moss' door.
"I feel physically sick, to be honest," he said. "And I mean that literally. It feels as though I want to vomit. I wanted to vomit when I saw [Derby] celebrating to the fans.
"Listen, everyone has got the right to celebrate, so I don't have a problem with it, it just made me feel sick because they didn't deserve it.
"The sending off isn't a sending off, he's made two tackles in a game. It's not a dangerous tackle.
"Even the most biased Derby fan knows that they shouldn't be in the next round of the cup and the best they should have had was a draw.
"Probably our dressing room is not good enough for him and it's good enough for all the other referees who come week-in, week-out.
"I go and see him in the lounge and he throws me out. His arrogance defies belief and the more you criticise him, the more I get into trouble. And you can't win - it's just a no-win situation.
"They don't want to hear what you say, they don't care that he's ruined my weekend, ruined 2,000 fans' weekend. They just move on and know that they'll get another game next weekend."
Coleman was spoken to by Moss during the game for his reaction in the build-up to Derby's winner, and the Stanley boss had more words of anger for the official, who after his double at the Wham! Stadium has now dished out seven red cards in 23 games this season.
He said: "I waved my arms, I gesticulated when he gave the foul that led to the goal and came over and he didn't threaten to send me off but said 'I haven't decided whether I am going to send you off and you're making this worse'.
"I know he was a schoolteacher, I was a schoolteacher, but I certainly don't speak to my players condescendingly like that."
