Mick McCarthy reveals conversation with referee after Blackpool’s defeat to Coventry City

The Seasiders failed to build on their emphatic 6-1 thrashing of QPR in midweek by being dispatched in ruthless fashion by an impressive Sky Blues outfit.

However things could have been different had certain decisions gone Blackpool’s way with the game still finely balanced during the first-half.

McCarthy’s men were denied a second penalty despite Jerry Yates clearly being brought down in the box, while Viktor Gyokeres was only booked for a forearm swipe on Callum Connolly.

After edging their noses in front in first-half stoppage-time, Coventry eased to a comfortable three points with two further goals in the second period.

Reflecting on Geoff Eltringham’s performance, McCarthy said: “I’m not too sure Gyokeres should have been on the pitch having punched Callum Connolly.

“I’ve just seen the referee and he said he didn’t punch him. Well he gave him a right, a left and then he followed through with his foot as well.

“We get back in it with a deserved penalty and in my view we should have had another one, but he’s saying it’s not a penalty as well. He’s saying he’s kicked the floor. Well he’s kicked the floor because he caught Jerry’s leg as well as the push as he’s gone to swing, and it only takes a little bit to put you off. It’s a penalty for me.

“But I might as well be arguing with that step over there. I didn’t get into any arguments, it’s opinions isn’t it and ultimately it’s the referee’s that counts.

“But then we commit cardinal sin by giving the ball away in front of me, missing a tackle, it goes for a corner and we don’t mark, so all those tiny mistakes result in us being 2-1 down just before half-time and that changes the narrative of the game.

“We never really got back into the game in the second-half, it was a poor performance. We make too many tiny little mistakes and they capitalise on it.

“They’re full of it and we come out disappointed.”