Pete Wild gave a damning verdict in his criticism of the referee Bobby Madley after his Fleetwood side were pegged back deep into stoppage time during their 1-1 draw with Port Vale.
Wild, serving the first of a three-game touchline ban, watched as Ryan Graydon put his Cod Army side 1-0 up nine minutes from time.
However, Madley awarded a penalty in the fifth minute of added-on time and Lorent Tolaj slotted in to grab a point for Vale, which extended their unbeaten run in 2025.
Wild left no stone unturned in his opinion on Madley’s performance and felt Fleetwood denied a penalty of their own towards the end of stoppage time.
“I’ve watched it back five times and I don’t know how he hasn’t given that,” he fumed.
“They’re all right when they’re throwing suspensions around, but what they are paid to do is make big decisions and yet again they’re not making big decisions. And you wonder why staff and players get so frustrated with them.
“We were doing really well at seeing the game out after we scored and then sadly we gave a penalty away for a high foot.
“I do think it was a pen, but right after that we should have had one with the last kick of the game.
“I think I’m generally quite balanced with what I say, but their player had two arms around Rhys Bennett even before the foul so you’ve got to question the decision.
“What’s he doing if he can’t make decisions like that? I’m infuriated. I’ve had to take a punishment this week, but is it any wonder why we get frustrated when all you’re asking for is referees to do their jobs?
“It’s just another decision to them, but it’s cost us. I feel very, very aggrieved that we haven’t got a penalty at the end.
“Last week’s draw was a point gained, but I think that’s two lost today.”
Port Vale boss Darren Moore had mixed feelings after the draw.
“There was nothing really in it and where I thought we probably could have done a little bit more was when we got into the final third.
“We just needed that little bit more conviction, which we’d spoken about at half-time.
“Obviously, we came here to try and get the three points, but nearly ended up losing them and probably in the end earned a point.
“I don’t think there’s any fear element to our game at all. We are getting the conviction from the players and trusting and believing in them, and they’re getting into good areas and making the opportunities.
“We got into a lot of threatening areas, and probably just that final cross, the shot, the final contact on the ball is what was eluding us.
“The positive thing is we are getting into those positions. We’ve got conviction and belief from the players and what we will do is continue to work in a training ground, because all that stuff when you improving comes from the training ground. And so that’s what we have to do really – continue doing that.
“One thing the group has got down is lots of character, lots of resilience, and we’ve seen that in abundance this season so far.”
