EFL boss who blamed red card on Scottish accent bemoans latest referee decision for Wrexham

03/30/2025 08:22 AM

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell has become the latest EFL boss to question controversial referee decisions in a match against Wrexham.

Wrexham took a significant step towards a third successive promotion with a 2-0 win at St James Park to end The Grecians’ six-game unbeaten run.

However, for the second straight week, Phil Parkinson‘s side needed a penalty to help secure all three points.

Ollie Rathbone’s deflected first-half effort had put Wrexham in control before Jay Rodriguez made sure of the result from the spot.

Once again, there was controversy surrounding the award of the visitors’ penalty, with Stockport County's Dave Challinor bemoaning a similar decision in favour of the Red Dragons seven days earlier.

This time, Rodriguez theatrically hit the deck after seemingly being tripped by Jack McMilan, leaving Exeter boss Caldwell bemused.

Caldwell, who was on the touchline despite his red card against Lincoln City, was keen to stress that the penalty decision sealed his team’s fate.

He told BBC Radio Devon: “I thought it was a fifty-fifty game.

“I thought the way we set up caused some problems, but we conceded a really poor deflected goal, but apart from that it was nothing in the first-half.

“They get a penalty that wasn’t a penalty that kills the game.

“Those moments went against us but they were better at the basics of football, the quality of the pass, the second balls, but that is the level they are, a team that is going to get promoted and a lesson for us that the gap is there and we have to work very hard to close that gap.”

Ex-Premier League defender Caldwell then doubled down on his claims around the award of the penalty to Exeter’s club media after the game.

He added: "I thought we were in the game, but I just need more commitment from the players, I need more second actions, I need that last yard to be better.

"We're disappointed to lose, of course, but it's a deflected shot in the first half and a dubious penalty at best.

"I thought we did everything we asked was there early on but we didn't do it enough and there wasn't enough desire or intent to go past people, to shoot.

"The players gave everything, but it's the final actions today."

Exeter’s defeat, which was their first since losing to Charlton in February, dropped them to 17th, nine points above relegation.

Wrexham, meanwhile, maintained their place in the automatic promotion spots with seven fixtures remaining.

The Hollywood-backed team remain three points ahead of Wycombe Wanderers, who also have a game in hand, in the race to finish behind runaway League One leaders Birmingham City.

On Tuesday, Wrexham travel to face James Brophy’s Cambridge United, having been held to a 2-2 draw with the U’s in December.

Their nearest rivals for promotion, Wycombe, welcome the only side below Neil Harris‘s men in the table, struggling Shrewsbury.