WANDERERS were left fuming at the display of referee Phil Gibbs after a number of key decisions went against them during today’s defeat at Preston.

The official waved away strong penalty appeals when Stuart Beavon was fouled, only for him to award a spot-kick to the home side that gave them an ultimately unassailable 3-1 lead.

But what left Blues spitting feathers was the decision to rule out a perfectly good goal from a Beavon header from a corner.

Wanderers were a goal up at the time and were hammering on the door looking for a second goal that would have been the least they deserved.

Raging boss Gary Waddock said: “Even from Preston’s technical area they said it’s a goal. The penalty decisions, one team got one and the other team didn’t.

“When you’re down the bottom you need the rub of the green. You’re relying on people to make decisions and we want them to make the correct ones, and be consistent with the decision making.

“I’ve got nothing but praise for the players today apart from the scoreline, which wasn’t all down to them.”

Waddock was unhappy his side were denied a stonewall penalty but he said the disallowed goal was the worst decision of the lot.

He said: “The bigger decision was the goal from the header. That could have put us in a good position.”

He added the officials hadn’t explained the reason to chalk it off but said: “It doesn’t matter because they’ve given it, whatever they have seen. It should have stood.”

Midfielder Matt Bloomfield had no doubt in his mind the goal should have stood.

He said: “Without a doubt. Bevs has gone across him and headed it in – I don’t know what he’s seen. Usually with these decisions you can see why they’re not given but today I couldn’t really see why.”

Seconds after having their penalty shout waved away Bloomfield was penalised for a softer-looking foul on the halfway line, prompting a verbal outburst from the midfielder towards the official.

Bloomfield said: “I just felt things were going against us. There were a few big decisions today and none of them went in our favour. We’ve worked extremely hard and come off the pitch today with nothing.

“We performed admirably today given we came off a spanking last week. I think we got the right reaction.”

Waddock agreed, saying: “The work rate and effort they showed today, they have to take that into next week’s game and every game. In recent weeks we’ve not shown that.

“The players were totally committed. It was a fantastic response from last week and we shouldn’t be leaving this ground pointless.

“I want that and better. As well as we’ve done today, we don’t get anything from it, which is frustrating.”