‘It’s strange, very strange’, moans Nottingham Forest star as he reveals conversation with blunder ref Paul Tierney

RYAN YATES accused ref Paul Tierney of not knowing the laws of the game.

The controversial official has come in for widespread criticism after he stopped play for a head knock to Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate with Forest in possession and pinning Liverpool back.

REUTERSIbrahima Konate suffered a head injury in the dying embers of Liverpool’s trip to Nottingham Forest[/caption]

PAReferee Paul Tierney wrongfully gave Liverpool an unopposed drop ball after the incident[/caption]

The decision lead to Darwin Nunez scoring a last-gasp winner for the RedsGETTY

Tierney inexplicably restarted play by robbing Forest of the ball and gifting it back to Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher who launched a Liverpool attack.

The home side never recovered and one minute and 50 seconds later Darwin Nunez headed home a 99th-minute stoppage-time winner to Forest’s fury.

Forest skipper Yates has revealed how he asked Tierney for an explanation and was stunned by the ref’s response.

Yates said: “He just said, That’s the rule. They get the ball. I honestly don’t know how that is possible.

“We were in the ascendancy, we had a corner.

“There was just a coming together and then we were going to put another ball into the box. I thought they’ll just drop us the ball back.

“Maybe on the halfway line — worst case on the halfway line — and then we’ll just play on.

“But not giving them it there.

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AFPNunez’s winner kept Liverpool top of the Premier League table[/caption]

“Suddenly, while we’re switched off, they’re allowed to get the ball to the other end of the pitch and put us under pressure.

“It’s strange, very strange.”

Yates, 26, refused to blame Irishman Kelleher for failing to return the ball to Forest and would not accuse him of unsporting behaviour.

He said: “To be fair, if he has been told it’s his ball he is entitled to keep it.

“If we got told it was our ball I would just play on because you’d think it’s got to be something to do with the rules.”

Ironically, Forest recently became the first Premier League club to appoint a former official Mark Clattenburg as their referee’s analyst.

But Yates says he has yet to meet 48-year-old Clattenburg, who took charge of the finals of Euro 2016, the Champions League and the FA Cup — all in the same year.

The midfielder revealed: “We haven’t had anything since he’s come in.

“Hopefully he’ll give the guys some clarity on what we can do and how we can react to those situations.”

Yates now wants Forest’s players to channel their frustration and anger following Saturday’s controversy to inspire them at Brighton on Sunday.

Forest are currently 17th – just four points off the relegation zone – and have the threat of a points deduction to factor in for breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules

“I think we have to and use that late kick in the teeth to fire us up, we’ve got no choice,” he said. “We need to start picking up points.

“Playing really well is all well and good but you can’t keep playing well week-in and week-out without picking any points up.”

REXRyan Yates and his Nottingham Forest team-mates felt hard done by[/caption]