Coach UFUK TALAY. Picture: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
Wellington Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay wants to see more consistency from A-League referees after being left baffled by a series of decisions in Friday night's 4-2 loss to Perth Glory.
A total of eight yellow cards were dished out by referee Adam Kersey for the match, with Phoenix defender Tim Payne controversially sent off in the 71st minute for a second bookable offence.
Payne received his second yellow for what appeared to be an accidental clash of boots as he chased Glory striker Nicholas D'Agostino.
"At the end of the day it was an accident," Talay said.
"For me ... I'd like them to be more consistent ... there was an early tackle on Cam Devlin where the player has gone over.
"Obviously he (the referee) played the advantage. In my opinion I think if he comes back, that's a yellow card as well."
Talay said the A-League's professionalism meant such inconsistencies shouldn't be tolerated.
"I think they need to be more consistent in what they do," Talay said.
"For me the A-League's not a developmental league for the referees, because players go out there and play for results. Sometimes decisions influence the game."
Glory coach Tony Popovic became testy when asked whether Payne deserved the second yellow card.
"Did you watch the game? If you watched the game you wouldn't ask that question," Popovic said.
"The player made four or five fouls prior to getting the second yellow. So if you saw that, you wouldn't ask that."
Glory's nine-game unbeaten run leaves them just one point adrift of second-placed Melbourne City.
Perth will be back in action on February 18 when they make their Asian Champions League debut against FC Tokyo in Japan.
Glory skipper Diego Castro, who has missed the past two matches as he nurses a knock, is no certainty to return.
"I don't know about playing, but he'll certainly be training a lot more with the team next week," Popovic said.
"This is about looking after him, and making sure that when he plays, he plays at 100 per cent."
