Luke Leahy has criticised the performance of referee Seb Stockbridge following Wycombe Wanderers’ 2-2 away draw against Oxford United.
The former Shrewsbury Town and Bristol Rovers man scored a brace of penalties for his fifth and sixth goals of the season in the second half of the contest.
His double put Wycombe 2-1 up following Ruben Rodrigues’ first-half strike which gave Oxford the lead.
Seb Stockbridge is a disgrace.
— Manning Futbol (@ManningFutbol) October 28, 2023
He should not referee another game @EFL.
He stops the game for a free kick when Harris is in to make it 2-0.
He then awards Wycombe 2 penalties.
He then sends off Liam Manning.
He then gives us a penalty to even it up.#oufc #chairboys
However, in the seventh of nine added-on minutes at the end of the contest, Leahy was alleged to have brought down Mark Harris in the penalty area.
READ MORE: Three penalties awarded as Oxford and Wycombe share the spoils in entertaining derby
Stockbridge immediately blew for a spot-kick which was duly dispatched by Cameron Brannagan.
However, replays showed that there was minimal contact, if any.
Referee Seb Stockbridge is getting heckled by both sets of fans as he leaves the pitch.
— James Richings (@James_BFP) October 28, 2023
Fair to say he was quite literally in the middle of everything today.
A tad card friendly I think.
🟨 2-2🟦
Additionally, the referee sent off Oxford manager Liam Manning after Wanderers’ second penalty was rewarded.
He also dished out eight yellow cards, the the third he has done that in 13 games this season.
Speaking to the press at full time, Leahy said: “The game was good for 97 minutes and I can just tell that the referee was waiting to give it [a penalty].
3⃣4⃣ - My word, referee Seb Stockbridge has come to Wycombe's rescue.
— James Richings (@James_BFP) October 28, 2023
He blows for a free-kick to Oxford whilst Bodin is one-on-one with Stryjek.
Rodrigues fires it over.
In the meantime, the ref has booked Potts and Low.
🟨 1-0🟦https://t.co/QvdPYRDWMH
"You could just tell he was waiting to give it and I’ve given him the opportunity to, but my leg is planted and he [Mark Harris] has kicked it.
“It’s one of them that we’ll learn from and we’ll go again on Tuesday, but you couldn’t speak to the referee at all.
“Even if you wanted to ask why something was given, you just couldn’t speak to him for whatever reason.
“He was having none of it.
“I think he wanted to be centre of attention and I think he was.”
On the game itself, Leahy was pleased with his team’s performance and believes the point at Oxford will be ‘one to look back on’, with the Kassam Stadium side currently sitting in the automatic promotion places.
He added: “It was a great performance from us.
READ MORE: Live League One Updates: Oxford United 2-2 Wycombe Wanderers
“We knew how to frustrate them in both an attacking and defensive shape, and we really took the game to them in the second half.
“We’re really disappointed to leave here with just a point, but they are a team in the automatic places and at the end of the season, we’ll look back at this as a good point on the road.”
Up next is Cambridge United at home on October 31.
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