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Tom Coleman

'I'm p***** off!' Cardiff City boss Steve Morison fumes after 'stonewall' penalty not given at Millwall

Cardiff City boss Steve Morison says he sought answers from referee Steve Martin at full-time after seeing his side denied a 'stonewall' penalty during the defeat by Millwall on Saturday.

The Bluebirds were downed 2-1 at The Den, after goals from Murray Wallace and substitute Mason Bennett.

Joel Bagan added a consolation deep into stoppage time, but it ultimately wasn't enough to spark a comeback for Cardiff, who remain 12 points clear of the relegation zone.

It's a result that also brings Cardiff's winning streak of three league games to an end, much to the frustration of Morison, who believes his side should have been given a spot kick just after the interval when Tommy Doyle's shot appeared to strike Jake Cooper's hand in the box.

Cardiff are one of two sides yet to be awarded a penalty this season - the other being Swansea City.

"It's a stonewall penalty," he said when questioned on the incident after the game. "End of conversation.

"But the referee won't come up here and talk about it.

"Apparently his hand's in a natural position. If diving and stopping the ball with your hands is natural then it's a new one.

"That's life. Let's not dwell on it."

Morison chose to make just one change from the side that hammered Peterborough United 4-0 in midweek, with Mark Harris coming in for Isaak Davies.

But after seeing his side fail to show the sort of verve displayed last Wednesday night, Morison admits fatigue may well have started to set in.

"It was a game too far for us. Physically, we struggled with the game. We lacked the intensity in the press," he added.

"But as I said to the players after, sometimes you have to take something on the chin because it's a physical stretch.

"We've gone Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday. It's tough and it's a lot to ask.

"When you're scrapping like we've been, it's emotional and mental tiredness as well.

"I think physically first half we looked quite leggy. Second half, if we got the penalty, well, you saw the lift it gave Millwall when they scored, all of a sudden it looked like they could run a little bit faster.

"It might have changed the complexion of a game, but we draw a line under it and go on."

Meanwhile, Morison also felt that Millwall goalscorer Murray Wallace was "lucky to still be on the pitch" by the time he nodded the Lions in front midway into the second half.

Wallace was booked for pulling back Harris just after half-time, and Morison was left unhappy with a later challenge on Jordan Hugill.

"He slides in on him and because we don't go down and get a foul it's alright," he said.

"But that's just me nit-picking. As I said. It is what it is.

"I'm just p****d off that I'm leaving the ground with a loss"

To compound Morison's frustrations, Rubin Colwill now looks to be a doubt for Tuesday's clash with Coventry City after pulling out the matchday squad moments before kick-off.

"He tried hit a volley yesterday in training and kicked the floor rather than the ball," Morison explained. "He was a little bit sore but we felt it was okay.

"It wasn't until he went out and did the warm-up that we found out it was a bit sore.

"That's why Eli jumped onto the bench."

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