Bradford City feel Rob-bed by controversial referee

The Shrewsbury official has got history with the Bantams – and he was a central figure again to leave them still winless on the road.

Having turned down a strong penalty shout from Macclesfield in the first half, he gave one for virtually nothing midway through the second.

It looked a case of the official evening it up. Nobody really knew at the time, or afterwards, what he’d awarded it for.

City were livid – they, too, had seen a spot-kick appeal for handball waved aside – and their mood was darkened by several late bookings as Lewis started to lose control.

Macclesfield had always been a happy hunting ground for City. Think Stuart McCall’s screamer in the League Cup, diddy David Brown, Scott Loach’s penalty save and Peter Jackson’s extra-special 50th birthday present.

That win in April – which Jacko described at the time as one of the top five of his managerial career – was also City’s last away from Valley Parade.

Skipper Michael Flynn was back from his one-game ban as expected. Michael Bryan could consider himself unlucky to be dropped to the bench after Saturday’s performance.

Phil Parkinson tweaked the formation to line up 4-3-3, with Craig Fagan operating on the right side of James Hanson and Kyel Reid the left.

Reid set up Hanson’s winner at the weekend with a superb cross and should have got another assist after just six minutes. He put another dangerous centre to the far post, where Ritchie Jones failed to make contact with a gilt-edged opportunity.

Matt Hamshaw’s half-volley fizzed off Flynn and over the City bar but Tony Diagne went closer with a 25-yarder after Hamshaw had nutmegged Robbie Threlfall to create the space.

Macc were knocking the ball round with intent and some neat passing across the edge of the penalty area set up Scott Boden for a shot on the turn that grazed the post.

City were under the cosh and nearly shot themselves in the foot when Luke Oliver undersold Matt Duke with a backpass. Ross Draper latched on to the loose ball, only to stumble and lose his footing as he pushed it round the keeper.

But referee Lewis ignored the huge home shouts for a penalty – and a certain red card for Duke – and instead awarded a corner, which had boss Gary Simpson jumping up and down with disbelief on the touchline.

Jones led a promising City counter-attack which was let down by Liam Moore’s poor cross into the box. But Fagan showed his individual quality to wriggle a way through two challenges before shooting just over.

Jones was the first name in the book for a late challenge on Scott Kay as Macclesfield continued to have the lion’s share of possession without properly testing Duke.

They still felt short-changed by the referee’s refusal to act over the Duke and Draper incident midway through the half and Lewis was confronted by the aggrieved midfielder once again as the teams left the field at the interval.

In fairness, City would have been screaming blue murder if that had taken place at the other end.

Parkinson was forced into a change four minutes into the second half as Threlfall hobbled off. And bang went the left back’s record as the only City player to have been on the pitch for every minute of the season.

Luke O’Brien was his natural like-for-like replacement and got a big cheer from the away end, which was one down by that point as stewards escorted a travelling fan away.

The sub immediately whipped an inviting low ball into the six-yard box, which was agonisingly out of Fagan’s reach.

City were starting to turn the screw with three corners in as many minutes.

And it was their turn to curse the official when Marcel Seip showed neat footwork before shooting against Nat Brown’s arm – again the penalty appeals went unrewarded.

Moore calmly swept away from in front of his own goal after Draper had breezed past O’Brien, and Shaun Brisley’s header from the resulting corner was the first save from either keeper.

City were certainly getting closer and Jones, who was popping up in the box more and more often, nearly found the bottom corner with a low drive.

Fagan and Moore were seeing plenty of the ball on the right flank but City were undone when one break broke down. And the referee was again at the centre of it.

Macc took advantage of Moore’s absence to head the other way but the danger seemed to have passed when Duke slid in to gather off Draper’s toes in the box. Draper was sandwiched between two defenders and went down – and this time, Lewis pointed to the spot.

Given the two much stronger shouts that he had turned down earlier, it was a curious decision. Nobody in a blue shirt had really appealed for it.

Now it was Parkinson’s turn to complain on the sidelines and he angrily confronted the fourth official after Lewis Chalmers had drilled home the penalty.

City were in the familiar position of chasing an equaliser on their travels and Adam Reed made way for Bryan.

Hanson tested Jose Veiga with a shot on the turn but the Cape Verde international was up to it with a confident save. Then Reid was clipped 20 yards out but wasted the opportunity with a woeful free-kick.

Parkinson made his final sub with 12 minutes left and Jamie Devitt was sent on for the tiring Jones.

Elliott Hewitt was booked for a foul on Reid but Devitt’s free-kick pinged away off the wall. Macc were being pinned in their own half before Flynn’s wayward shot ended a good spell of pressure.

City still piled forward but the referee further annoyed them by booking Fagan for squaring up to Veiga.

The travelling fans had had enough of Lewis and blasted him with a chant of “you’re not fit to referee”. Meanwhile Parkinson again confronted the fourth official over Veiga’s time-wasting.

Oliver headed Reid’s cross back across goal and Hanson nodded straight into the keeper’s arms after good work from Devitt.

There was still time for Oliver to see yellow before the big centre half glanced just wide after being picked out by Seip.

It was a frustrating end to a hugely frustrating night, summed up by Parkinson booting the ball away after the final whistle was blown.

City had been sunk by the penalty that never should have been.