Jewell: Dowd is incompetent

PJ: Fuming

Paul Jewell

"I don't usually talk about referees, but he [Phil Dowd] has cost us the game tonight. I've just seen on the monitor that our first goal was disallowed, and it wasn't even close [for offside].

"And for the one at the end [Blackburn equaliser], I don't think it was a foul, I think it was more like grievous bodily harm! In fairness, John fumbled the ball a little bit, but he has been barged by Lucas Neill, it's not even close.

"I am going to get myself into trouble for telling the truth, but I think he is incompetent. One Premier League manager told me before the game that he is the worst manager in this league, and he isn't wrong. It was a nonsensical performance by the referee for me.

"I think the referee should come and face the press conference afterwards and explain his decisions."

PJ was happy with his teams performance, despite the pathetic refeering. He added: "In the first twenty minutes we were poor, but once we got the ball down we were OK. I thought we were comfortable, we had two good situations where we should have done better on the break.

"But I thought we were in control without looking like scoring a load of goals. They were just lumping the ball up to Kuqi and we were defending it."

Fat head and no teeth

Mark Hughes

"I think in the end we are happy enough with the point. I was pleased with the reaction after we went a goal down to come back, we showed the belief, we got the ball down, spread the play a lot better than we did in the first half and were a lot better for it.

"We just needed the break at the right time and we got it, but on another day the second half performance would have got us the win. Filan makes a great save at the end to deny Bellamy.

"In the end we have to be happy with the point I suppose, there are six games to go and still plenty to play for. It was difficult to day as it was a little bit stop-start. There was a lot of referee's whistle, a lot of free-kicks and a lot of throw-ins.

"It was only in the last period when we really got the ball down and got some real momentum in our play that we showed what we can do. We have to be pleased with the one point, we haven't been beaten at Ewood since December 3rd so it's a great run we are on. We weren't to be denied today, we wanted something out of the game. We got the point and on another night it could have been three."

Hughes made the comment: "I felt the ball was there to be won. The keeper certainly didn't have it under control."

A perfectly valid comment, and most supporters would agree 100% with this. The only problem was that the ball was not won and Filan was barged out the way!!