Hull head coach Tim Walter revealed referee Robert Madley apologised to him for his inadvertent role in Sunderland’s winner which returned the Black Cats to the top of the Championship table.
Wilson Isidor’s third goal in four matches, in which the on-loan Zenit St Petersburg striker ran half the length of the field and lifted the ball over Ivor Pandur, sealed a 1-0 win for Sunderland at MKM Stadium.
The decisive moment was laced with controversy as Marvin Mehlem appeared to be obstructed by Madley following a short corner, with the midfielder dispossessed by Dan Neil, who freed Isidor to race clear.
Defender Alfie Jones and assistant coach Julian Hubner were booked for protesting against the decision – with the goal standing as Madley did not touch the ball – while Walter was cautioned at full-time.
Water, though, says Madley struck a more conciliatory tone in the aftermath, saying: “He apologised for the situation but it doesn’t help.
“Maybe you can interview the referee then it would be better but it’s really frustrating. He was not well prepared, I said. If you know how we play corner and set-pieces, he would know we play them short.
“(Madley) said he was well prepared but unfortunately not because I did it at my former clubs and we do it all the time. If you don’t find the right position then maybe he wasn’t well prepared, that’s what I said to him.
“One hundred per cent, we could have done better. But sometimes it’s not our mistakes and you have to accept it.”
Walter, who has previously called for the implementation of the video assistant referee in the Championship, had earlier been dismayed by a couple of first-half decisions going against his side.
He was especially puzzled at appeals for handball against last man Chris Mepham being ignored, with replays showing the ball hitting the Wales defender’s left arm a few metres outside the Sunderland box.
“For me it was a clear hand,” Walter added. “He played the ball with the hand back to the keeper and it’s a red card but (Madley) saw it in a different way.
“It’s like a never-ending story. Unfortunately it’s always us. But every gaffer has the same opinion about the situations that they’re always more negatively influenced.”
Asked about the events leading up to Isidor’s 63rd-minute winner, Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris claimed he “didn’t see anything specifically”.
He added: “I can’t judge anything about the referee’s decisions, positions or involvement in the game because it’s not my main concern.”
Sunderland were given a scare before the deadlock was broken when Chris Bedia rattled the bar but after going ahead, they did not look back to move one point ahead of Burnley, who won on Saturday to go top.
Speaking about Isidor’s goal, Le Bris said: “He has that quality to eat the space. He can run, he can run, he can run and he kept the consistency to deal with the goalkeeper – it was a brilliant goal.”
