Barnsley FC boss Michael Duff speaks to referees supremo Howard Webb to air frustrations over standards of officiating

It happened in last weekend's 1-1 League One draw at Portsmouth when Devante Cole’s goal was controversially ruled out midway through the second half - to the amazement of everyone connected with the Reds.

Speaking afterwards, Duff said the club were considering putting in a complaint, the latest in a litany of key decisions to go against the Oakwell club this winter.

Last month, Duff spoke to EFL head of referees Mike Jones over several on-pitch decisions which he felt had also gone against his side.

He has again contacted him this week, while PGMOL's chief refereeing officer Webb has also spoken to the Barnsley chief.

Barnsley's neighbours Sheffield Wednesday are another club who are concerned by refereeing standards this season and are reportedly hoping to send a delegation to meet Webb to speak about the matter.

Duff said: "I spoke to Mike Jones on Sunday and Howard Webb rang me on Tuesday as I was going to a game.

"They are aware of it. I went to a game on Tuesday night and it was chaos again with the referee not playing on an advantage.

"The most disappointing thing from our point of view on Saturday was the referees' body language. He showed no humility and must have known he made the wrong decision. Almost put your hands up and say: 'I have blown the whistle, lads - sorry.' There was none of that.

"We have had so many of them. That's why it's become frustrating. I don't know if anything will come of it, but we can't just sit here and take poor decision after poor decision.

"Because if I do that, I won't be here in two months. Players make poor decison after poor decision and they don't get in the team and then don't get a contract.

"There has to be some sort of comeback on some of the decisions we have had against us.

"Howard didn't need to ring me; I'd already spoken to Mike Jones, that's his job basically - he takes calls on Sunday from managers complaining!

"I don't like doing it and there's nothing he can do about it. But Howard wants the communication to be improved.

"Sometimes, decisions are made by referees that football staff don't understand. So they can educate us in saying: 'We have to give that decision because of a, b and c.' It works both ways.

"Refereeing is a tough job, but there's always consequences and education from our point and we debrief from every game and try and improve and I think that's what they (Webb) are trying to do and understand where we are all coming from.

"It's borne out of frustration as we feel we have been on the wrong end of a lot in the last two months."