NIGEL Clough felt replacement ref Conor Ledgeway was “a rabbit in the headlights” as he slammed Mansfield’s disallowed goal against City.
The Stags thought they had equalised at Mbanq Valley Parade when Michael Smith bundled the ball and Jon McCracken into the net.
But it was ruled out by Ledgeway, who had taken over the whistle from injured official Zac Kennard-Kettle at half-time.
Clough was fuming over the decision – and the fact that neither he nor Graham Alexander had been notified about the change of official.
"In the second half especially, we did enough to get a point out of that game,” said Clough.
“To score a goal and the referee actually gives it and the linesman gives it and they turn around and change their mind. That takes some doing and some getting over.
"I don’t understand that at all. I'm very disappointed.
“The referee was limping after five or 10 minutes and eventually went off at half-time. We were not notified by anybody that the referee was changing, nor was Graham or Bradford City.
"We had to make a change before the game obviously with (goalkeeper) Liam Roberts.
“We tell the referee and the fourth official and go through everything and they can't even have the courtesy to tell us that they are changing referees at half-time.”
Clough criticised the refereeing bosses for appointing an inexperienced fourth official who was then put in that position.
“I don't know how many games that lad who came in the second half has refereed in League One if he's ever done one.
“He should not be in that position because it was obviously far, far too much for him and ultimately it has cost us a point because of the goal that he disallowed.
"I don't think a more experienced referee would have disallowed that goal.
"It's funny because the referee who came off said, ‘oh clear foul'.
“I said, 'well, why didn't he give it straightaway? Why did he actually give the goal if it's a clear foul? Why didn't he blow his whistle straightaway? ‘
"The poor lad, a young lad, was like a rabbit caught in headlights a little bit. “It's not on him and it's very, very unfair for him to be put into that position today. But unfortunately, we've suffered for it.”
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