Wanderers coach laments referee calls in ALM derby draw with Sydney FC

Western Sydney coach Alen Stajcic has lamented the refereeing during their 3-3 A-League Men draw with Sydney FC, saying the lack of consistency was “abhorrent”.

The Wanderers coughed up a two-goal lead at Allianz Stadium on Saturday and were made to settle for a point after the Sky Blues flexed their muscles in added time.

Zac Sapsford had scored a brace to put Western Sydney on the front foot before Adrian Segecic’s 88th minute reignited the home side.

Anthony Caceres, who’d earlier been given a special presentation before his 200th game with the club, then marked the occasion by finding the equaliser seven minutes into extra time after a flurry of corner kicks.

Stajcic took issue with the fouls given against his side as they fought off a late challenge, especially with the 84th-minute yellow card shown to goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas for time-wasting.

The Wanderers had play stopped two minutes into extra time to bolster their squad with fresh legs, substituting Bozhidar Kreav off for Aydan Hammond.

Action was again halted three minutes later when Oscar Priestman suffered a cramp - much to the chagrin of the home fans.

“Every foul just seemed to go their way, and that adds to the momentum that they can build,” Stajcic said.

“That’s the quickest yellow card I’ve seen for a goalkeeper this year.

“We had that farcical game against Brisbane (in round eight), where they were wasting time for 45 minutes.

“Lawrence Thomas got a ball, got it from one side, put it on the other side, and got a yellow card.

“I thought Speedy Gonzales was out there. That’s how quickly the card came out.

“I don’t know how that can happen. That level of consistency is just abhorrent.

“It can’t happen in a game like this, especially when we’ve been the victims of probably the most extreme example the other way.”

Thomas pulled off arguably the best save of the match just before being reprimanded, having stretched to deny Segecic’s header with his fingertips.

Stajcic also bemoaned a handball incident in the 58th minute.

Sapsford was searching for his hat-trick after goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares spilled a save.

In the midst of the chaos, Sydney captain Rhyan Grant appeared to touch the ball with his hand but he was cleared by a VAR review.

“We had a handball with Jack Clisby against Melbourne Victory (in round 12), which was explained to us earlier in the year,” Stajcic said.

“Rhyan Grant’s one today was almost identical.”

Patryk Klimala opened the scoring for Sydney in the seventh minute before Sapsford’s brace and a Grant own goal.