EXASPERATED Tony Mowbray said the referee has apologised to Sunderland for allowing Sheffield United's controversial matchwinner to stand - but the acceptance from the match officials that they made a mistake didn't make the goal any easier for the home boss to stomach.

Sheffield United came from behind to snatch all three points at the Stadium of Light when a Tommy Doyle free-kick went through a crowd of bodies and found the bottom corner.

But Sander Berge, one of three Sheffield United players clearly offside when the free-kick was taken, was interfering with play and made an effort to touch the ball. He didn't make contact, but his efforts to touch the ball clearly had an impact on home keeper Anthony Patterson.

Mowbray was furious with the decision, slamming the match officials for "getting it badly wrong".

He said: "It would be great if the referee or linesman could come in here and explain why they allowed that goal to stand. I'm sure you all saw it, there were three men offside and one actually goes to poke the ball in which means our goalkeeper stands.

"One of my coaching staff came into my office and said the referee apologised and said he got it wrong, but that doesn't mean very much to us at the minute.

"If you know anything about football it's offside. It's not in doubt. He's interfering with play and has made a movement to play the ball.

"Between the two of them, the linesman and the referee, they got it badly wrong which cost us tonight.

"If someone makes a genuine effort to get the ball, he missed it by millimetres. He started offside and made a move for the ball. I've been in football for 43 years and offside is offside. That is offside.

"I don't have any grey areas. Is that right, an offside goal is allowed because the referee is incompetent or communication with the linesman is really poor? In my mind it just shouldn't happen and yet some guy in a blue top tonight allowed the goal to stand that shouldn't have stood and we suffer the consequences."

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Mowbray continued: "I sit here literally after every game and I'm trying my hardest not to criticise the officials and yet it's really hard because it feels like every week there's a bit of carnage going on.

"I do feel today I can say they got it badly wrong. Not just the one decision, I thought they had a really tough day, and not just the guy in the middle but the guys on the outside.

"I don't want the narrative tonight of 'Mowbray moans at the officials'. I'm moaning every week because I genuinely don't think they're good enough to referee or to take these games.

"And then the worst thing is they lack the humility to talk to you about the game. They think you're attacking them when you just want a conversation. Three of them are stood offside, one sticks his leg out to make contact, the goalie reacts, it's offside and I'm not sure what his excuse is other than him saying he apologises and got it wrong. So what happens? Do we take a replay? Or a point? I'll go and see if Hecky (Paul Heckingbottom) will take a point rather than three. Jesus!"