Portsmouth boss calls for FA action after match official 'abuse' handed out by Stevenage boss Steve Evans and his coaches

Pompey were held to a goalless draw at the Lamex Stadium in a match which saw Joe Rafferty and Jake Forster-Caskey red carded.

However, the Blues’ head coach afterwards criticised the antics of Boro boss Steve Evans and coaches Paul Raynor and Alex Revell rather than referee Simon Mather.

Mousinho wasn’t happy at the level of ‘abuse’ handed out to the four match officials by the opposition bench during proceedings.

And despite Raynor being booked in the first half, he doesn’t believe the much-trumpeted zero tolerance policy was sufficiently implemented in the controversial encounter.

He told The News: ‘It got a bit feisty on the benches and we expected that, it wasn’t a particularly enjoyable afternoon listening to some of the things that we listened to.

‘We have been told about participant behaviour all through the summer, we’ve sat and watched some calls, we were told it is going to be cut down upon – but we’re seeing more of the same.

‘The fourth official hasn't got a minute to breathe and the referee is getting abused, it’s not nice.

‘It might have been part of football previously and I am no saint in terms of some of my language sometimes, I absolutely need to improve that, but overall we’ve been told time and time again that it's going to be stamped out and it just hasn’t been done. This game was the obvious one.

‘We were told it was this zero tolerance approach. I don’t know if you are close enough to hear or close enough to see (from the dug-outs), but it’s about as far from zero tolerance as you can possibly see.

‘I am sure you can imagine what’s actually being said. It’s part of football, there's a huge amount of emotion in there and that's fine, you always want animated benches and coaches and people on the touchline that care. That’s fine.

‘It’s just when it spills over into what we saw on Saturday. Personally, and people will disagree, I think it’s unsavoury.’

During one incident on the stroke of half-time, Jacks Sparkes tangled with Stevenage coach Revell while retrieving the ball for a Blues throw-in.

The Pompey player ended up falling to the ground, prompting Mousinho to enter the opposition technical area and others to also become involved in the flare up.

Although Mousinho has played down that moment.

He added: ‘That was fine, to be honest.

‘Sparksie went into Alex Revell on the bench and I went across. I told the referee that I had just gone to get Jack away, I had no intention of getting involved in any of that.

‘I managed to do that and calm it down, while Sparksie said there was nothing in the incident.’