Saturday 19 September 2015 07:38, UK
Furious Lee Radford accused a touch judge of 'blatant cheating' after Hull FC fell to a 34-20 defeat at the hands of the Huddersfield Giants.
The Black and Whites were leading 20-18 when Aaron Murphy's neat offload gave Jake Connor the opportunity to finish in the corner to a chorus of boos from the home fans who were adamant the pass was forward.
And Radford took out his obvious frustration on official Phil Graham after the game, feeling his failure to flag had cost his side dearly.
"Who's the touch judge on that side, do you know?" Radford said. "Give that man an MBE, he deserves one because that's a good four or five metres forward. He's level with it as well.
"In my eyes that's blatant cheating, but he'll have a game next week I'm sure.
"It was a big turning point. There's no point in saying anything else because it will cost me some cash, but you've got to be better than that, unfortunately, whatever your name is."
Radford's side gave as good as they got against the Giants, but it was the visitors who went home with a fifth win in six games, leaving the Hull coach to ponder what might have been - not for the first time this season.
"It's a repetitive record - gallant in defeat again," Radford added. "We have to be smarter but I can't knock their effort."
Victory for the Giants means they have a chance of claiming the League Leaders' Shield, with the top four separated by just a single point.
"It's massive for the competition," said head coach Paul Anderson, whose side are a point behind final opponents Leeds. Wigan are tied with the slumping Rhinos with St Helens on 38 points alongside Huddersfield.
"Everyone's been saying the top four has been a dead rubber for a long time - and it is in a lot of respects - but when was the last time you could look at the competition and say all four teams could potentially win it.
"Everybody's talked about the top four for a long time and it's never included Huddersfield; unfortunately you have to write about us being in that four now."
