Carlisle United boss on 'disgusting' Barnsley penalty

The Blues boss was livid at referee Will Finnie’s call to award the hosts a late penalty.

Jordan Gibson’s challenge on Adam Phillips saw a spot-kick given as Herbie Kane fired the winning goal.

It consigned Carlisle to a 2-1 defeat in a game they had started in impressive fashion – and left them still six points adrift in the League relegation zone.

Manager Simpson said he was “raging” about the 86th minute incident and added: “That penalty decision was an embarrassing decision, absolutely embarrassing.

“I think the less I say about it the better. 

“Jordan Gibson actually got his foot on the ball and the lad has gone down.

“I hope that the assessor who was here tonight takes the right sort of action against that.

“We’ve been done by a disgusting decision. I’m not prepared to say that’s a penalty any day of the week.”

Jordan Gibson's challenge on Adam Phillips saw a penalty awarded (Image: Richard Parkes)

Simpson said there was little point in raising his grievances with the officials after the game.

“I'm honestly not going to waste my breath on it,” he said.

“I actually said before the game, I don't even see the point in making comments when I have to fill a referee’s report in, because nothing ever changes.

“And tonight, honestly, I was saying for the whole of the game to the fourth official, ‘He is going to cost us tonight, because of the decisions he was making’.

“They weren't acceptable, in my opinion. But nothing will happen and the certainty is we will not get any points back – that's for sure.”

Carlisle led after six minutes through Luke Armstrong’s first Blues goal amid a remarkable start to the game which could easily have brought three more goals for Dan Butterworth.

“Thirteen minutes had gone and we've had four incredible chances, probably as clear cut chances as we have created all season,” said Simpson.

United celebrate the opener scored by Luke Armstrong, right (Image: Richard Parkes)

“So credit to the players for going actually and applying the plan that we wanted and putting it into practice.

“But you have to finish them off. It's simple.

“Look at their first goal [Barnsley’s second-half equaliser scored by Devante Cole] – that was winning the ball, one pass punched into Devante Cole, great first touch, finish across the goalkeeper. And it’s 1-1. And it looks so simple, but it isn't.

“We've got players who are capable of doing it. Sad thing is, is we're just not at this moment.”

Simpson was pleased with how his side pressed Barnsley in the opening stages, and felt Carlisle were still in things in a more defensive second half.

“Barnsley went a bit more direct,” he said. “We knew that there were going to be two changes and I thought Barry Cotter caused problems because he's big and he was he was quite powerful.

“I thought Jack Armer dealt with him okay. His biggest threat was his long throw-in, which was actually better than a free kick or a corner from both sides.

Dan Butterworth and his team-mates applaud United's travelling fans at Barnsley (Image: Richard Parkes)

“And then you've got [fellow sub] Nicky Cadden who's got a wand of a left foot and he put balls in the box. But again, I thought Jack Ellis stuck to the task really well and stood up, and he won it back a lot of times.

“But they showed why they're a top of the table team because they've got players who can come onto the field and do that.

“If I'm honest, I don't think it was their two changes that actually won the game for them. I think it was our inability to exploit the opportunities we got in the first half and then even in the second half we had opportunities as well.”

Chances for Carlisle were scarcer after the break but Simpson said: “I thought Luke was a little bit unfortunate when he chased a long ball through, and he got too much on it.

“If he scuffs it, it probably goes underneath [the goalkeeper] and trickles over the line.

“But we've got to keep believing, we've got to keep going. I'm keeping believing, I'm doing everything I possibly can to try and change it and to keep everybody going.

“And if the players go and put a shift in like they have done tonight, we'll give ourselves a good chance.”