Burton Albion boss fuming after Wigan Athletic victory

James McClean fires in a shot against Burton

Latics moved up to second spot in the League One table thanks to a goal in either half from James McClean and Curtis Tilt.

But Hasselbaink felt the game was decided on the 15-minute mark, when referee Carl Brook brandished a straight red card after Jonny Smith caught Tilt with a high foot.

"The red card...they say - and I spoke to the officials - it's endangering an opponent...how?" said Hasselbaink.

"Endangering means to put someone in significant danger.

"He didn't catch him in the face, he barely caught him in the chest.

"Their player got straight up, he didn't require any medical staff to attend to him.

"The referee had already made up his mind to show a red card.

"Everyone was shouting, this is a big stadium, with big noise, it's a big occasion.

"He needed to calm down, assess the situation, wait...and then act.

"But he gave a red card and, after that, the game was done.

"Jonny does not have a bad bone in his body.

"It is a yellow card at the most."

The Dutchman also felt the nature of Wigan's goals summed up his side's afternoon.

"They scored two great goals," he added. "And when their centre-half scores a goal like that...he was very surprised.

"He could hit another million shots and he would never get another one like that...because it's not in his DNA.

"But we are being hit by these things and we need to pick ourselves up."

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