Leicester manager Nigel Pearson was fuming after a controversial penalty allowed Nottingham Forest to claim a 2-2 draw from a thrilling east midlands derby at the King Power Stadium.
The home side were leading 2-1 in the npower Championship tussle when referee Anthony Taylor awarded Forest a 66th-minute penalty for what was deemed a foul by Zak Whitbread on Billy Sharp, and Simon Cox netted from the spot.
Pearson said: "It should not be a penalty. It was a perfectly good challenge. He got the ball and the referee is in a very good position to see it. If he cannot get that right it is laughable."
He added: "It is about time these people became accountable. There is a team of four people out there and we need to utilise the four of them. I have seen the incident on television again and basically it is a good challenge from Whitbread.
Leicester had taken a sixth-minute lead with Elliott Ward diverting a Lloyd Dyer shot into his own net. Forest levelled in the 23rd minute through Adlene Guedioura, who drilled home a low cross from Cox, before the Foxes regained the advantage with a sublime lob from David Nugent in the 32nd minute.
"I think the players have done well today and played pretty well," Pearson said. "We did enough to win the game but unfortunately we have had that opportunity taken away from us by other people who have not done their jobs properly.
"I don't think we have had a fair deal today. I am not anti-officials, but they need as much help as they can get. So give the fourth official a worthwhile job or don't bother with them."
Forest manager Sean O'Driscoll agreed that it should not have been a penalty and felt his side were lucky to come away with a point. "I can see why the referee gave it, but in my view it was not a penalty," said O'Driscoll. "I was tearing my hair out throughout the game and to be honest about it, we were lucky today.
"I don't think it was a penalty but I cannot go on the pitch saying, 'Don't give it me'. Referees are always going to make mistakes. It is part and parcel of the game. This is a difficult place to come at the best of times, and we did not perform today.
"But we got something out of it and have to make sure we learn lessons from it."
