Fuming Portsmouth boss stunned by referee admission over penalty controversy in Coventry defeat

John Mousinho was fuming after being told by referee Gavin Ward that he ‘didn’t actually see’ the penalty that never was.

The Blues - and Fratton faithful - were adamant they should have been awarded a 16th-minute spot-kick after Minhyeok Yang’s cross from the left struck the hand of Jay Dasilva inside the box.

Yet Ward decided against pointing to the spot, while, in the aftermath, Mousinho and Coventry boss Frank Lampard engaged in a war of words on the touchline, with the fourth official acting as peacemaker.

Pompey’s head coach spoke with Ward after the 2-1 defeat to discuss the controversial incident.

And while Mousinho doesn’t believe two later penalty shouts should have been granted - he insists the Dasilva incident was cast iron.

He told The News: ‘I thought it was a penalty, we have seen it back, we’ve had the luxury of looking at the replay and his arm’s way out - and it hits his arm.

‘The referee didn't actually see it, he was looking in the box for anything in there. He didn’t see it and no-one else picked it up, it’s one of those things that we didn’t get.

‘I suppose that sometimes football is such an intense game and really dynamic, he has taken his eye off it for a couple of seconds. If that happens, then there are four officials out there to hopefully pick it up.

‘One of the linesmen or the fourth official could have spotted it, I suppose, but they didn’t pick it up. Who knows if the game would have been different there, but it’s one of those we clearly at the time were upset about.

‘I was just trying to talk to the fourth official, that was all, I wasn’t allowed and the fourth official didn't deal with it. Frank interrupted, which is the polite way of putting it. It was impossible for me to speak to the fourth official.

‘That was one penalty appeal, the other one with the challenge with Minhyeok and Bobby Thomas, I can see why it wasn’t given.

‘The other one down the far end (in the second half), it definitely hits the player’s hand but he’s going to ground, I don’t think it’s a penalty.

‘I thought the first one was. At the time it was goalless, maybe it does make a difference, but Coventry are a good side and deserved to win the game.’

Brandon Thomas-Asante scored in each half to keep the impressive Sky Blues at the top of the Championship.

While substitute Makenzie Kirk grabbed a stoppage-time consolation to mark his first for the club since arriving on deadline day from St Johnstone.

Mousinho added: ‘Coventry caught us in a different way, they were slightly more direct and, having that pace and power up top, we struggled to deal with that and ultimately they came away with a win.

‘I do think we could have scored more than a goal - and they could have scored more too.’