Stoke boss disappointed not to win and says ref got penalty decision right

Stoke manager Mark Hughes was disappointed not to collect all three points at the Amex tonight and felt referee Lee Mason made the right call by not awarding Albion a first half penalty.
Mark Hughes. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)Mark Hughes. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)
Mark Hughes. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)

The visitors led twice at the Amex but Albion fought back to earn a 2-2 draw. Maxim Choupo-Moting gave Stoke the lead and Brighton soon had strong penalty appeals waved away by referee Lee Mason when Glenn Murray went down under a Ryan Shawcross challenge.

Pascal Gross equalised shortly afterwards but Stoke went back ahead in first half injury-time when Kurt Zouma headed home.

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Jose Izquierdo levelled on the hour and Hughes said: "Our initial reaction is tinged with a little bit of disappointment. We're an away side and any away point gained is always a good performance usually and a good result but having got into a winning position on two occasions, that's where the disappointment lies.

"The goals we conceded could have been avoided. I didn't think it was due to any great play by Brighton to open us up. We made a couple of mistakes on the first one, a few consecutive errors that more often than not lead to goals and it was a similar story for the second one.

"I didn't feel Brighton were able to create anything of significance in general play. They never really got any momentum or head of steam, which suggests to me and should do to everybody else that's because of a good away side performance in terms of nulifying their threat, their qualities and being able to cause them a problem going the other way.

"Overall it's a good point and we'll take it but maybe there's a slight disappointment as well."

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On Mason's decision not to give Albion a penalty - which Stoke defender Shawcross even admitted should have been a spot-kick - Hughes said: "I've had a look at it and my initial reaction is the lad splayed his legs a little bit just to try to get some contact. I think there was minimal contact. Ryan was well within his rights just to shepherd the ball out which I felt he was doing.

"The lad wasn't going to get on the other end of it, so hoped to gain some advantage. I think the referee did really well and wasn't swayed by the crowd. I thought it was a good decision."