'I don’t really complain about refs too often but the referee has cost us' - Conor Hourihane gives his verdict on Barnsley's draw at Mansfield Town

Furious Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane has accused referee Martin Woods of costing his side victory at Mansfield.

The Lancashire official waved away shouts for a penalty after Deji Oshilaja appeared to handle a Reyes Cleary shot two minutes into stoppage-time.

The Reds were leading 2-1 at the time before Stephen McLaughlin bagged a leveller two minutes later.

“All I want to talk about really is the penalty at the end,” said Hourihane. “Reyes has a shot, his hand is over his head, how that is not given I will never know.

“The game was killed off by the penalty decision. How the ref hasn’t seen it I will never know.

“Moments change games. I don’t really complain about refs too often but the referee has cost us.

“The ending wouldn’t have come along if we had got the penalty.

“The fourth official probably has the clearest view, it is handball. That is why you are wanting to have a high level of refereeing at this level.

“We talk about referees so much and he has got that one wrong. The game was killed off by the penalty decision.”

Hourihane also felt a single point was rough justice on his side after what he described as a ‘top’ performance.

“I thought our lads were top, they were outstanding on a horrible pitch,” he said, “Sometimes you have to grind and dig in and I thought the lands handled the conditions well. We were well deserving of winning the game.

“Their penalty gave them a leg up and changed the flow of the game. They put us under pressure a little bit, but we handled it really well.

“The players are hurting and emotional. We are all disappointed with the outcome but really frustrated with the decisions.”

The point leaves Barnsley seven points off the play-off places with 11 games to go.