Burnley boss Vincent Kompany extended a sympathetic hand to Reading after their heartbreaking 2-1 defeat, confirming that they were denied a stoppage time penalty.
Royals boss Paul Ince was fuming with the officials when son Tom was taken out in the box and no spot-kick was given, before the Clarets went up the other end to snatch all three points at Turf Moor.
Kompany, a Manchester City legend in his first management role in the UK, came out post-match and agreed with Ince, that it was a penalty, but insisted it won't make a difference to the bitter feeling in the Reading camp.
"It was a penalty," he stated. "I can’t offer any more than that. It was a penalty and it doesn’t help him, but in our situation there are other games where we felt there were penalties. There’s nothing I can say to comfort him."
Former England captain Ince, who was highly complimentary of Kompany and his table-topping side, could not contain his anger.
"The referee is an absolute joke. That’s why we’ve come away with nothing. I don’t like having a go at referees because I know it’s a tough job. As much as I have to stand in front of you and be accountable, they should be the same.
"On Thomas, it’s a blatant penalty. I can understand the one before that where he’s handballed it, there’s a lot of people there so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. But when it’s the 92nd minute and Maatsen fouls him, and the assistant referee is 15 yards and has a great view, and they haven’t got the balls to give the decision for us to go and win the game if we score the penalty. They go up one minute later and get the winner. That’s what makes me angry."
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