WANDERERS were cursing more ref justice after Marcos Alonso’s sending off at Nottingham Forest cost them a shot at victory.

That was the verdict of Dougie Freedman, who felt official Keith Stroud acted too hastily in producing a second yellow card to punish his full-back for dissent at the City Ground.

The Whites had just drawn level through Craig Davies’s second goal in as many games and looked to be in the ascendancy in Billy Davies’s first game back in charge of Forest.

But, after Alonso was sent packing for the first time in his professional career for kicking the ball away in frustration after a foul by Craig Dawson, Freedman’s men were left hanging on for a point, leaving the Wanderers boss questioning the decision.

“I don’t want to comment on referees but I didn’t think we benefited from a new manager being here,” he said. “I saw it on video and I don’t think it was the right decision. But Marcos has got to take it on the chin and get on with it.

“Marcos kicked the ball away and, having seen the video, it’s just a split second after he blew the whistle. So, I don’t understand how you can do it (award a booking).”

Freedman believes his side would have been well capable of grabbing a second goal with a full quota of players.

“I believe the game plan was starting to work,” he said. “We had to dig in and make sure we didn’t give a lot away. And I think we had the mindset to do that.

“Later on in games we are becoming a handful. When we scored our equaliser I thought we had the momentum to go on and win the game. I felt quite relaxed because they were anxious and could see what was coming.

“These are the setbacks you get.”

Meanwhile, reports suggest that League One promotion chasers Tranmere Rovers have enquired about taking Tom Eaves on loan for the rest of the season.

The highly-rated young striker has already spent a successful spell at Bristol Rovers and is being encouraged to gain more experience at the higher level.