Sam Allardyce was relieved that key decisions did not cost West Ham after being sent to the stands during the 1-0 win over Barnsley.
West Ham boss disappointed with ref after win over Barnsley
Sam Allardyce was relieved that key decisions did not cost West Ham after being sent to the stands during the 1-0 win over Barnsley, while Keith Hill said long-ball tactics were 'killing English football'.
A Hammers side missing a host of players through injury and suspension clung on to Papa Bouba Diop's early goal to move joint top of the Championship.
To add to their woes they lost Abdoulaye Faye in the warm-up and John Carew and Julien Faubert to injuries during the match.
And Allardyce's frustration boiled over when he was banished from the dugout having protested once too often about some of referee Scott Mathieson's decisions.
Allardyce felt Frederic Piquionne and Freddie Sears could have had penalties while he was furious with Jim O'Brien's challenge on 17-year-old debutant Daniel Potts.
The Hammers boss kicked out at some plastic bottles on the touchline and had to watch the last seven minutes of the match with the fans.
He said: "The most disappointing thing for me was the challenge on Potts. It was reckless and dangerous.
"That's what flicked the red mist for me today, as well as the Fredi Piquionne one, and kicking the bottles was the last straw.
"The fourth official called the referee over and told him to send me to the stand.
"I haven't been in trouble for 10 or 12 years now, but if I am in trouble I want to know what they are going to do about those decisions. Fortunately they didn't cost us today."
Allardyce was certainly not going to let referee Mathieson ruin his satisfaction of a job well done in the most trying of circumstances, and he reserved special praise for Potts.
"It was a great debut from Pottsy both in defence and attack," added Allardyce.
"It was a fantastic result under the circumstances, I'm not sure anyone's squad could cope with being as stretched as ours is in this league."
Barnsley reaction
Barnsley failed to trouble goalkeeper Robert Green in the second half but their manager, Hill, was unrepentant about his team's passing style.
"We were foraging for a point, but I won't go to direct, percentage football," he said.
"It's killing English football and I won't resort to it."
