"We're better than them": Neil Warnock slams Hillsborough pitch and the referee in Middlesbrough defeat at Sheffield Wednesday
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First-half goals for Callum Paterson and Liam Shaw did the job for the Owls despite Duncan Watmore clawed one back for the visitors early after the break.
The former Sheffield United boss was visibly agitated throughout the evening and made it clear to the media after the game that he felt his side was hard done-by in a number of ways.
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Hide Ad“The pitch was diabolical,” he said. “Everybody is knocking it long and you can’t get much pattern into it, so I can’t blame the players for that. You’ve got to adapt to the conditions and get used to that.
“It’s a difficult pitch, you only have to walk on it to appreciate how bad it is.
“I can’t fault any of them really. I told them at half-time to go out, take the game and play because we’re better than them. And that’s what we did.
“But at the end of the day we’ve come out with no points and we’re disappointed.”
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Hide AdWarnock was yellow carded by referee Geoff Eltringham after a scuffle between Barry Bannan and Sam Morsy at the half-time whistle.
He said: “That’s football isn’t it? There wasn’t much in it at all.
“There were one or two accusations, one or two lads were disappointed there hadn’t been a yellow card for their tackles and then as soon as our lads make a tackle it’s a yellow card.
“But I told them sometimes you’ve just got to get on with it, we had the referee at Hull last year so at least we know he’s consistent.”
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Hide AdOn the late-night sacking of his friend Pulis just 18 hours ahead of kick-off, Warnock said: “I don’t think it helped.
“I think there were a few players out there that Tony probably wished had played like that when he was here, but that’s how it is.
“That’s not cost us the game, two goals have cost us the game whoever is in charge.
“We’ve been unlucky with one or two decisions, one or two of their lads should’ve been booked early doors and our lad Saville goes up and straight away gets a booking. I don’t understand that.”