Hughes in blast at ref as vital win slips away
MARK HUGHES insisted that Southampton will not suffer a relegation hangover, after having victory snatched from them at Goodison park.
The Saints boss said: “We were great last week, we were great today and we will be great on Tuesday.”
Everton’s goal, which denied his side a win that would almost certainly have kept them up, came from a disputed free-kick given away by Nathan Redmond.
An angry Hughes hammered ref Jon Moss and said: “Unfortunately the officials towards the end of the game haven’t covered themselves in glory.
“The assistant referee plainly sees it wasn’t a foul but Jon Moss, as he usually is, was 30 yards behind the play and decided to award a free-kick and to compound that lets them take it 20 to 30 yards ahead.
“He made a decision and gave them a free-kick right in the corner when Redders has taken the ball off their centre-half and then he allows it to be taken from a false position.
“Because of that we were retreating and it’s difficult to get your shape back after we’ve lost a man through sending off.
“He has given free-kicks when their guys haven’t been touched so to say we’re aggrieved is an under statement.
“Referees not doing their job, it happens too often. We shouldn’t worry about which referees we have got but we do. Referees play a key part, they should be the best but they are not.
“We come here for a difficult fixture, we come here, play well and it’s only circumstances of the game that are affecting us at the moment.
“We should have allowed the ball to run out for a throw in but Ryan Bertrand got caught out. They got a shot off which gets deflected.
“It was hard on us because we were very comfortable and were going to see the game out.”
Despite snatching a point at the end, Sam Allardyce let rip at his players.
The Toffees’ boss said:
“It was an anguishing performance to stand and watch the players. We have nicked something out of it we didn’t really deserve.
“We didn’t have much to play for other than to try to entertain the fans in the final home game and we haven’t done that.
“Southampton will be really disappointed but that’s the game. You have to play to the last minute and we did that.”