Blackburn Rovers manager Valerien Ismael has launched a scathing attack on match officials after his side conceded a stoppage-time equaliser in their 1-1 draw with Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground. The Red Dragons looked set for defeat when Andri Gudjohnsen's 13th-minute header put the visitors ahead, but a controversial free-kick deep into added time allowed Max Cleworth to bundle home an equaliser.
Ismael did not hold back in his post-match assessment, describing referee Tom Reeves' decision to award the set-piece as 'disgraceful'. He said: 'It all comes down to the referee with the disgraceful decision. It was terrible. At some point, it has to stop and the EFL has to do something, because there are big decisions for teams every weekend. We need better quality, it's as simple as that.'
The Blackburn boss acknowledged his side's failure to kill the game off, adding: 'Nonetheless, we have to defend better, but it's another decision that takes the three points away from us. I've said to the boys that we're all frustrated and that we should have scored the second goal earlier.'
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson, meanwhile, praised his side's resilience as they extended their unbeaten league run to eight matches. 'It's great to be up and around it, and, can we keep chipping away? Can we get into January in a challenging position?' he said. 'We're just going to keep working hard as a group and we'll see where that takes us.'
The result lifts Wrexham to ninth in the Championship, while Blackburn remain in mid-table. Wrexham face a tough test away to Preston North End next Saturday, having already beaten them 3-2 in the Carabao Cup earlier this season.
