KARL Robinson was angry Oxford United were denied a penalty as they lost 1-0 at Gillingham to slip back into the Sky Bet League One relegation zone.

Jerome Sinclair was pushed over by goalkeeper Tomas Holy at a corner, but referee Ollie Yates waved away the visitors’ protests.

It came two minutes after the Gills had a spot kick of their own for a foul by Rob Dickie, but Simon Eastwood made an excellent save.

Brandon Hanlan scored an 89th-minute winner when a corner was headed back into the six-yard box, but it was the decision which the U’s did not get which left Robinson fuming.

Also read: Match report - Gillingham 1, Oxford Utd 0

The U’s boss was planning to see Yates before he left the ground after reviewing the footage.

He said: “It’s one of the worst I’ve had that’s not been given.

“He pushes him first, then when he goes to collect he pushes him again in the middle of the back.

“It really is embarrassing. He’ll get away with it though, he’ll referee again next week. He was poor.”

He added: “The assistant referee is looking right down the line. He’s poor.

“As a team they’ve got it wrong and these are things that go against you when you’re down there.”

Eastwood, though, offered a different interpretation of Holy’s push on Sinclair.

He said: “I don’t think that’s a penalty, as a keeper sticking up for another keeper.

“I think if you come out you can almost protect yourself and push and barge.

“But I don’t think we can be looking for that as a penalty, in my opinion.

“Maybe it’s the keeper’s union, but I think if you come out and use your body I don’t think you’re going to get many penalties given like that.”

On the game itself, Robinson said: “I thought we were the better team.

“If I had a criticism it’s that we took too many passes in the final third. We don’t ask enough questions of the opposition goalkeeper.”