Sam Ricketts says Shrewsbury Town were up against the world in the second half of their draw with Bristol Rovers.
The Gas came from 1-0 down to draw 1-1 thanks to Alex Rodman's header, but it was a controversial game in which Shrewsbury ended with 10 men due to Dave Edwards' red card.
Arguably, Oliver Norburn could have been sent off in the first half for two bookable offences in a short space of time before Shrewsbury took the lead, but Ricketts was furious with both Bristol Rovers and the referee.
He said: “A real mixture of emotions. I thought in the first half we controlled the game well, went 1-0 up and were very comfortable.
“In the second half, it felt like we were taking the world on as a team. Decisions, disappointed with an aspect from the opposition, it felt like we took on the world.
“Disappointed with the goal but ultimately what I liked then was the hunger and the desire from the players to make sure we left with something, which was the least we deserved.”
Ricketts thought the referee was too easily swayed by the Gas' home crowd.
Bristol Rovers respond to Graham Coughlan's stern words at half-time to draw with Shrewsbury Town
He said: “There were an awful lot of things, I think it’s very hard to officiate and not to get swayed by the crowd and the noise and players making the most of certain things.
“That gradually started to tell, I think all the decisions started going their way. Disappointed for the goal itself just because it was a set piece and I don’t like conceding from set pieces but that’s what I feel we really had to come up against.
“Not only have we come up against the conditions, the team, there were an awful lot of factors we had to play against.”
Ricketts hit out at the referee's decision not to send the Gas' Abu Ogogo off in the first half for his clash with Norburn in which both players were booked before opting not to show Joe Partington a second yellow in the second half.
He said: “How two of their players haven’t been sent off is beyond me.
“Ogogo kicked Ollie Norburn in the first half – blatantly kicks him right in front of the fourth official and the referee, if that’s not a red card I don’t know what is.
“We all saw Beckham get sent off years ago in the World Cup but this was worse.
“Then, to compound that, there was a second yellow card later on that wasn’t given for their number 22 (Joe Partington). Second yellow card, should have been another sending off.
“Then he decided to send Dave Edwards off because he got caught up in the moment. It wasn’t two footed, wasn’t a lunge, he actually had one leg on the ground and it was a sweeping action with his left leg.
“Just because of player reaction he sent him off.”
On-the-whistle ratings as Bristol Rovers come from behind to draw six-pointer with Shrewsbury Town
Ricketts went onto deny that the Gas' claims over a potential red card for Norburn were valid.
He said: “Norburn shouldn’t have been booked in the first place. Then the second one, where they’re calling for him to be sent off, he got the ball.
“You do worry, it was a big game and a very hard game to officiate, and he starts not being able to get a hold of the game.”he ref around