NEWCASTLE manager Bobby Robson pointed an accusing finger at referee Dermot Gallagher after his side were condemned to their first defeat of the season by a Paolo Di Canio-inspired West Ham.

Robson railed at Gallagher for denying the Magpies a third-minute penalty when Robbie Elliott went down under the challenge of Christian Dailly.

And Robson also complained bitterly about Gallagher's failure to spot former Sunderland midfielder Don Hutchison blatantly obstruct Robert Lee in the build-up to Frederic Kanoute's goal which handed the Hammers a decisive 3-0 advantage eight minutes from time.

Robson admitted his side were well beaten, but fuelled football's diving debate with his assessment of the penalty incident.

"It was a dreadful decision not to award us a penalty in the first few minutes,'' rapped Robson.

"It was a clear penalty, but there's so much confusion about divers at the moment that referees don't whether it's a penalty or not.

"If we'd been given it, Alan Shearer might have knocked it in and then it's a different story.

"The third goal was also a poor decision. Don Hutchison blatantly obstructed Rob Lee.

"But all this isn't sour grapes on my part. We didn't deserve to win - the best team won. Compared to the previous Saturday when we beat Manchester United 4-3, we were pretty poor.

"We didn't win any one-to-ones all over the pitch. I thought Shearer and Craig Bellamy worked very hard with limited decent service. Di Canio and Kanoute had far better service.

"We didn't have the flank play from Laurent Robert and Nolberto Solano that we enjoyed against Man. United - they were a bit off key and Alan and Craig suffered because of it.''

Robson was forced to make a change early in the second half, handing a debut to loan signing Sylvain Distin when Warren Barton picked up an injury.

But Hammers boss Glenn Roeder rightly felt his side, bottom before yesterday's game, were worthy winners.

Former Newcastle skipper Roeder, who admitted he was worried about a foot injury which forced midfield starlet Joe Cole to miss the game, picked out stand-in Laurent Courtois for special mention.

"We signed him on a free from Toulouse on the recommendation of Frederic Kanoute and he didn't let us down,'' he said.

"The front two of Di Canio and Kanoute are key for us. Some of the things Paolo does are exquisite - his goal was typical Paolo.

"And I'm sure Trevor Sinclair will get into the England squad some time this season.''

That remark may have been aimed at Robson, who angered Roeder when news leaked of the Magpies' enquiry for winger Sinclair in the close season.

Roeder certainly had no sympathy for his opposite number over the penalty decision.

"I didn't see the incident,'' he said. "In any case, we've had enough things go against us this season - it all evens itself out."

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