By Sam Bisby
24 Apr 2011 00:10:00
Mark Hughes,Fulham(Getty Images)
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Fulham boss Mark Hughes has described referee Michael Oliver’s decision to send him to the stands as ‘petty’, during a disappointing 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton.
The dismissal followed the former Manchester United man showing his frustrations in Cottager’s defender Brede Hangeland being shown a yellow card for what Oliver had deemed a foul on Wolves’ Steven Fletcher.
The Welsh manager kicked a water bottle in dismay and was immediately ordered to leave the touchline, stating after the game that he had been bewildered by the referee’s decisions.
Talking to Sky Sports, Hughes explained why he was asked to leave the pitch: “It was for abuse of a water bottle, which is a new one on me, and maybe because I missed my kick three times before I made contact.
“But it was a little bit petty I felt. I was a little bit upset because I thought Brede Hangeland made a fair challenge and won the ball, and the referee saw fit to book him.
“It was a little bit frustrating for myself and Mick McCarthy today I think. On a couple of occasions the official has made decisions that mystified both of us.”
It was Fletcher who opened the scoring for Wolves on 22 minutes, somewhat against the run of play as Fulham found themselves with plenty of chances in the early moments.
Andrew Johnson came on as a substitute to score Fulham’s equaliser in the 80th minute with one of his first touches of the game and Hughes believed the point was the least is team deserved after slogging it out at Molineux.
On Wolves’ goal, Hughes said: “We were scratching our heads because we’d made a number of clear chances and were playing well.
“But we had to show character today and we got back on level terms and could have won it.”
The Cottagers are still yet to pass 40 points in the league and are by no means a certain bet to survive, but Hughes is staying optimistic.
He explained: “We have got five games until the end of the season and we are looking to get points in each and every one of them, and if we do that we will be more than comfortable and we feel we’ll be in the top half rather than the bottom.”