'Incredible!' 'Gavin Hastings would've been proud of that tackle!' - Ipswich Town boss slams decisions which led to Portsmouth FA Cup exit

The Ipswich boss admitted he’s struggling to fathom how referee Andy Haines missed Sean Raggett was offside for Pompey’s extra-time winner in their 3-2 success.

And Lambert felt his team had a clear penalty turned down for a first-half pull on Oli Hawkins by Rasmus Nicolaisen.

Lambert told EADT.co.uk: ‘I’m just tempted to say “move on” – you should just take my last interview because it’s incredible.

‘I’m smiling because I can’t believe it. There must be a voodoo doll somewhere. Somebody has done something!

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I mean, dear oh dear. What do you say about the offside?! He actually put it in (on the line) and there’s nobody there!

‘And the penalty! Honestly, Gavin Hastings would be proud of that tackle.

‘Listen, the things the linesman said afterwards when I spoke to him. Wow! Listen, they’ve made the call and I’m in enough bother as it is. It’s just incredible, it really is. Incredible.

‘It doesn’t really matter. It was just bizarre how they gave it. I just can’t believe what has happened over the last few weeks.

‘I’m fed up of ringing (ref chief) Mike Jones but I might just give him another call.

‘Just to say hello! I might as well because I’m never off the phone to him. I need to get it off my chest.

‘I’ve got myself into bother anyway, but I just cannot believe what is happening here. How can they get these sort of decisions wrong?

‘I just don’t know how they get them wrong.’

Lambert reserved praise for the manner in which they responded after being second best in the first 45 minutes to Pompey, as he made nine changes to his side from their

previous outing at Sunderland.

He enjoyed the way the Tractor Boys pulled their way back into the game to take the clash to extra-time.

Lambert added: ‘We were really good.

‘The football we are playing, I love watching it. Yeah we’ve got a lot of decisions going against us at the minute, but football wise we’re looking really good.

‘They kept the same team, we changed a lot of players because we had a few carrying things that we couldn’t take risks with.

‘The way we played second half was excellent. All credit to them.

‘I never go into games not wanting to win. We always want to win. But what can I do when those sort of things happen? It’s there for everybody to see.

‘I thought we were in the ascendancy, we looked really good second half and were trying to win it. Portsmouth are a really good side and good luck to them in the second round.But that was incredible.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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