Saturday 4 April 2015 20:28, UK
Steve Bruce felt two controversial decisions cost his Hull side the chance of easing their relegation worries as they lost 3-1 at Swansea.
Hull remain three points above the Premier League drop zone after a goal from Ki Sueng-Young and a double from Bafetimbi Gomis sealed three points for the hosts at the Liberty Stadium.
However, Tigers boss Bruce was upset with the nature of Swansea's second goal from Gomis and the 53rd-minute red card shown to midfielder David Meyler, which took momentum away from his side after Paul McShane had got Hull back into the match just after the interval.
"We were nowhere near good enough in the first half but two big decisions have gone against us," Bruce told Sky Sports.
"Gomis' goal is a fantastic piece of individual skill but he is five yards offside.
"When the ball comes back into the box we've had a collision between two of our players because they are worried about Gomis' whereabouts."
Meyler was sent off three minutes after McShane’s strike for clattering into Swansea full-back Kyle Naughton, who took no further part in the game and was later sent to hospital for X-rays on his damaged ankle.
"I'm sure half will say it's harsh and the other half will say it deserves a red card," Bruce added.
"I've now seen it six times from three angles and three of them I think it's a perfectly decent challenge and the other three he takes part of the ball but his leg collides with the player.
"The referee's given the decision by what he sees, and from his angle he might see it as reckless, but you may as well say in these grey areas you're not allowed to tackle on the floor.
"We all want our team to fight and compete because that's what the Premier League is, and I'm ranting and raving at my team at half-time to make sure there are a few challenges and we make a fist of it.
"We did that in the second half, we showed far more urgency but you don't usually get something out of a game when you go down to 10 men."
