Walter Mazzarri vented his fury at referee Bobby Madley after Watford were beaten 1-0 by Stoke at Vicarage Road.
Overworked official Madley gave 38 fouls – the most in any Premier League match this season – but missed a key one when Charlie Adam shoved Valon Behrami for the winning goal.
Even Adam admitted to Sky Sports: “I think it was a foul actually, I pushed him,” after his header came back off a post and went in off Hornets goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.
Mazzarri refused Hughes’ handshake at the final whistle of a bad-tempered game in which his side collected five bookings – two of which resulted in Miguel Britos being sent off in the final minute.
And the Italian said: “I was very angry at that moment with the referee and the time he gave at the end.
“I went into the dressing room and gave Mark my hand. I forget in that moment.
“But I was angry with the referee for not giving a lot of time and the decisions he gave. You have to look at the whole game; the fouls, the goal they scored and the yellow cards.
“Anyone can have a bad day. And this time he had a bad day.”
