A "furious" Joey Barton did not hold back in his criticism after Bristol Rovers conceded in stoppage time against nine-man Salford City to draw 1-1 at Moor Lane on Tuesday.
Sam Nicholson put the Gas in front and red cards for Matty Willock and Ash Hunter in the closing moments of either half put Barton's side on course for a comfortable victory.
But, five minutes into stoppage time, Brandon Thomas-Asante escaped behind the Rovers defence and equalised, as the visitors were punished for failing to take chances to kill the game.
"I’m absolutely fuming," Barton said. "I’m furious, if I’m honest, and we’ve got to learn those lessons because that’s Barrow away when they were down to 10 men and they equalised and tonight here.
"We were miles better than them will 11, and when they go to 10 and nine we should get the game done.
"It feels like a defeat and we’ve got to learn those lessons because that’s a game we should be coming out of here with three points."
Barton was angered by the officials multiple times throughout the game, despite the two red cards going in Rovers' favour, although Willock and Hunter could have no complaints after their indiscretions – a lunge and an arm to the face respectively.
First, referee Ben Toner allowed Tom Elliott to go unpunished after catching James Belshaw's head with his studs. Elliott later provided the assist for the equaliser.
The Rovers boss and his players were also frustrated by the time it took for a medical incident in the away end to be recognised and dealt with. The supporter was sitting up when taken from the stadium for treatment.
And when the game resumed, Barton was adamant Brett Pitman was wrongly denied a winner, but he admits Rovers should never have let the officials determine the outcome of a game they dominated.
"We’ve scored a legitimate goal at the end," Barton said. "Brett is a couple of yards onside and misses it.
"Tom Elliott, I thought he should have been dismissed. The linesman has got to put his flag up. He kicks James (Belshaw) in the head with his studs.
"But we’ve got to put the game away. I think we’ve paid the price for spurning those chances. We’ve had loads of chances, Luke Thomas’ probably being the best one.
"You’ve got to get that second goal and put teams away.
"All they had was the kick from (Connor) Ripley. That was all they had all night. The one time in the second half the lads didn’t deal with it, we got punished."
