Stoke City manager Gary Rowett focused on one of the referee's decisions as his side were held to a 2-2 draw by struggling Reading yesterday.

Marc McNulty gave the Royals an unlikely lead at the Madejski, before Tom Ince and Benik Afobe appeared to have secured the points for the visitors. However, a Modou Barrow goal deep into stoppage time gave the home side a valuable point and left Gary Rowett to lament the officials.

He felt that prior to their late equaliser, Tom Ince was the victim of a foul and that was the focus of a post-match rant from the former Burton Albion manager.

“It’s a blatant push and I’ve said it before, they are paid to do their jobs, it’s not a hobby, they are paid to get decisions right and when it’s the 93rd minute you have to get it right," the 44-year-old told the club's official website.

“We should still defend the situation better, but it’s a blatant foul and we should have left with three points today. They just say the usual stuff, ‘we thought it was a foul just before’, well give them both then! Don’t not give one because you think the other was a foul. That doesn’t make any sense at all.”

The draw kept Reading out of the bottom three, but it leaves Stoke stranded in the middle of the pack, eight points clear of the bottom three but similarly eight points adrift of the top six.

The Verdict

Put simply; Rowett should be wondering why his side are having to hang on to a 2-1 lead with the quality at their disposal. They should be doing much better, with plenty of big money buys in the squad.

Reading would surely have loved to be able to spend the sort of money Rowett has, but he hasn't got enough points on the board for the outlay he's made.

It could be a tough Christmas for the former Derby manager.