Barnsley FC’s Michael Duff unhappy with referee after Cup exit at Leeds United and offers support to Callum Styles

Trailing 2-1 - with Mads Andersen reducing the arrears after goals from Luis Sinisterra, who netted a beauty on his full debut and a Mateusz Klich penalty - Barnsley spurned a chance from the spot when Callum Styles's effort hit the post.

Duff felt Styles should have earned another when he tumbled under pressure from Robin Koch early in the second half. Leeds then went up the other end and sealed the win with an excellent Klich finish.

Duff said: "I am disappointed. You are never happy losing. We started the game really well and the response was excellent after going 2-0 down.

"Ultimately, we have been undone by a couple of bits of Premier League quality and a couple of referee decisions probably have not gone our way as well.

"I thought that (Leeds spot-kick) was a penalty. But I thought we should have had another penalty at 2-1 and the galling thing is they have compounded it by going down the other end and scoring.

"There's no guarantee we would have scored a penalty as we'd missed one, but the odds would say we probably might not miss two in a game.

"Their first goal was brilliant - whipped into the top corner - and their third goal was an excellent finish as well. That's a bit where we are at this week, a few of the goals we have conceded this week have been 'worldies.'"

ON Styles missing the spot-kick, he added: "It’s an occupational hazard. If you take penalties you are going to miss some. It is difficult to step up and Meslier is big. He will be disappointed, but i thought his overall performance was good.

"He was the designated penalty taker. What I did not want was when you see players having a scrap on the pitch. Everyone knew he was the penalty taker if he was on the pitch.

"He's been good and played every minute and in different positions. When we decided who the penalty taker was, he never missed one and put every one in the top corner. It is what it is."