'A stonewall penalty' - Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann on major flashpoint in Barnsley loss
Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann believes his side were denied a "stonewall" penalty in their 2-1 derby day defeat to Barnsley.
Rovers conceded through two slick, quick counter-attacks by the visitors: Vimal Yoganathan firing home inside the box just after the half-hour mark before substitute Davis Keillor-Dunn produced almost a carbon copy strike midway through the second half.
Inbetween Luke Molyneux fired Rovers level but they were denied what looked a golden chance to equalise a second time when veteran Billy Sharp was denied a spot-kick after Luca Connell appeared to clumsily bundle him over in the box, only for referee Darren Drysdale to wave play on. "I think everybody in the stadium knows it's a penalty," McCann fumed post-match. "Their lad has come and blind-sided Billy.
"I don't know why the best striker in the EFL of all time would fall in that moment. If you watch it back their player came through the back of Billy and it's a stonewall penalty and a red card.
"For whatever reason, the referee and officials don't see it. I'm disappointed to be talking about officials again because that's not me.
"When I watched the incident back, the referee is nowhere near it. That's where he needs his linesman to help him out."
McCann and his staff were incensed at the decision - a reaction that earned the Northern Irishman a yellow card: "I've been booked and rightly so because I'm frustrated. I said to the fourth official that I'll take the booking but the four of them (officials) have to take some accountability for the decision."
Reflecting on the contest as a whole, McCann said: "I thought the first half was pretty even. They scored a goal from their point of view that was really good as did we.
"We penned them in and caused them all sorts of problems second half but I was really disappointed with their second goal. We know what Patrick Kelly is about and that he can dribble it out of tight areas. We should take the foul and stop it at source. But we don't and then the best player in the division, Keillor-Dunn, has a chance to score and he does.
"We should be coming away today with at least a point and we're frustrated because second half we were strong, we hit the post and had loads of good opportunities."