Neil Critchley left 'baffled' by refereeing display during Blackpool's draw at Luton Town

While Brooks awarded the Seasiders a penalty, a spot kick Gary Madine dispatched, Critchley felt the man in charge still produced a number of “contentious” decisions.

Pool’s head coach felt his side should have been awarded another penalty shortly after Madine’s leveller when substitute Josh Bowler also appeared to be brought down in the box.

Brook produced some bizarre calls for both sides, while the linesman drew the ire of the Luton fans in stoppage-time when he disallowed a late winner.

Summing up his thoughts on a pulsating 1-1 draw in front of the Sky Sports cameras, Critchley said: “It was an entertaining game, a really good game. It was two competitive teams, no backwards steps taken by any player.

“We got off to the worst possible start. We had spoken about it, worked on it and highlighted that they play with high intensity and they get the ball quickly. They play a very simple but effective game and it’s difficult to play against.

“We spoke about the first 20 minutes and how to manage it and we didn’t do that.

“After they scored, I have to say we were good for the next 20 minutes. We grew into the game, looked really threatening and dangerous. They had a big chance but we had a big chance as well.

“In the second-half, again I thought we were the team in the ascendancy. We got a penalty which was a penalty, could have had another penalty when Josh Bowler went down but we stayed strong and finished strong.

“If one team looked likely to create one final chance near the end of the game and win it, I felt it was us.”

When asked if Luton’s first goal could have been ruled out for offside by BBC Radio Lancashire, Critchley added: “I don’t know, it was strange how it happened.

“We didn’t deal with the ball in the corner very well and then Keyesy (RIchard Keogh) comes across and we don’t seem to get the luck.

“It gets deflected and it could go anywhere, but it curls right into the bottom corner.

“I think there’s someone in the six-yard box and Maxi (Chris Maxwell) is there, but I’ve not seen it back yet. Was he offside and was he interfering? It’s such a grey area.

“I saw the goal for Burnley the other night and I thought that was offside. I think we need clarification on that ruling.”

Pool drew themselves level 10 minutes into the second-half as Gary Madine powered home a penalty after CJ Hamilton had been tripped in the box.

On Hamilton’s involvement for the penalty, Critchley said: “He had a couple of moments in the first-half and as the game opened up, you know we’re dangerous on the break and he did brilliantly to come inside and beat his man before being brought down to win us a penalty.

“He had another good run and didn’t quite produce the quality at the end of his run and then we brought Josh on and he had a good run and I felt he was brought down as well. I thought it was a penalty, but he can’t give two can he?”

On Luton’s stoppage-time disallowed ‘goal’, meanwhile, Critchley concluded: “I can understand why they’d be furious with the decision, but it’s not a foul on the halfway line. The lad falls over and sits on the ball.

“The ball is between his legs, so what is our player supposed to do? Just stand there and do nothing? But he gives them a free-kick.

“How is it a free-kick to them? The lad is obstructing it.

“They take a quick free-kick but they should never get to that point in the first place.

“I have to say, I thought the referee made a lot of contentious decisions.

“You get a lot of duels here, a lot of moments where players are coming together and competing for long balls and second balls and you need a strong referee who understands the game and how people nudge people out of the way and blatantly not going for the ball, push people and so on. He missed loads.

“Kenny gets booked, they stop a counter-attack and nothing happens, it’s just baffling. It was a baffling performance I felt.”