Roberto Di Matteo admitted his side were on the end of two questionable decisions yesterday as the Baggies lost 3-0 to bogey team Stoke City. The visitors were awarded two penalties which replays showed favoured Tony Pulis’ men.
After a bright start from Albion it was the hosts which controlled the majority of the first half, but were unable to find a way past a solid Stoke team happy to hit long balls to front pair Ricardo Fuller and Kenwyne Jones. It was Jones who won the first penalty when the striker theatrically fell at the feet of on-rushing Scott Carson to fool referee Chris Foy. Matthew Etherington calmly slotted home the penalty to give Stoke the lead with their first effort on target in the 55th minute.
The visitors good fortune continued five minutes from full time when Dean Whitehead went down following a clash of shoulders with Chris Foy again pointing to the spot. Substitute Jon Walters made no mistake from the spot to give the visitors a two-goal advantage. Walters then wrapped up the victory with a third deep into injury time.
"Football can be very cruel sometimes and I think today was an example of it," said Albion’s head coach.
"On the first penalty, there was minimal contact.
"Their player went down very, very easily.
"For me, it wasn't a penalty - but I'm not on the side that got it.
"I thought the second one was also harsh.
"It's one we probably wouldn't have got in our favour.
"It was shoulder to shoulder and there wasn't much in it.
"The first penalty changed the game.
"It was very harsh today.
"That's how things are going for us at the moment.
"Stoke have been complaining lately about decisions not going their way and I think they got a big answer today."
The defeat means Albion have gained just a solitary point from a possible fifteen. The defeat leaves Albion three places above the relegation zone with a visit to 16th placed Everton next Saturday (KO 3pm). Despite Albion’s poor run of form, the Baggies boss insists Albion deserved more from the Stoke defeat.
He added: "It's difficult to explain a game like that.
"They had one shot on target and you look at the scoreline and it's incredible.
"We created some chances in the first half.
"We know they can defend well and we tried to break them down.
"We didn't give them anything, really, and we need to be a bit more clinical when we get chances.
"Defensively, we need to be better as well because before the first penalty, we had the chance to clear it and headed it back to Ricardo Fuller's feet.
"If we need to win a game in an ugly fashion, we need to do that.
"In the last five matches, we have been in the games but some of our decision making, and little details, have maybe not been right - and we've lost the game."