"They don't need" - Gary Caldwell makes Birmingham City claim after Exeter City flashpoints | OneFootball

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell has blasted referee Alex Chilowicz for favouring Birmingham City in game of two handball calls

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell hit out at the officials as his side went down 2-0 at home to Birmingham City on Tuesday.

Before the game all eyes were on Blues striker Jay Stansfield as he returned to face his boyhood club at St James Park for the first time.

But after the final whistle the Grecians' boss was left fuming with referee Alex Chilowicz, accusing the American of not knowing what he was doing and insisting that Birmingham don't need extra assistance from the officials.

It was a game that was, essentially, decided by two handball calls from the man in black with both, in Caldwell’s opinion, going in the visitors’ favour.

First Grecians appealed loudly but unsuccessfully for what looked a fairly clear offence by Willum Thor Willumsson in the build up to Tomoki Iwata's opener in the 11th minute.

It was a goal that had been coming and Blues continued to push for a decisive second goal as the game wore on and the rain poured down.

The home side just about held out until the 83rd minute when Chilowicz blew for a penalty.

Gary Caldwell unhappy with referee Alex Chilowicz

There was confusion among the home ranks but the visiting supporters appealed as the ball hit Ilmari Niskanen's arm and Stansfield duly stepped up to dispatch the penalty and seal the three points for his side.

It was 'one of those' with Niskanen's arm down low and by his side but the ball did appear to connect and the referee decided it was enough for a spot-kick.

Birmingham were the better side in every aspect and Caldwell admitted as much.

However, he blasted the referee for lending a helping hand or two to Blues and insisted it's an EFL-wide problem that the "bigger, more powerful" sides get the rub of the green, adding to his frustration at offside calls at the weekend against Wrexham.

“I thought it was a great night for football, I quite like a wet night for football," Caldwell told Exeter's media team after the game on a wet and wild night in the West Country.

"The ball was quick, I didn’t think the ref helped the game.

“They’re a very good team, they don’t need the ref to help them and I thought the ref gave them everything but that, again, happens to us.

“We have to live with that because the EFL won’t change, we keep getting refs that give the opposition everything and we have to fight against that as well."

Birmingham don't need help from referees

City will be without midfielder Ryan Woods for Saturday's FA Cup second round home tie with Chesterfield at the weekend and his booking, to make it five for the season, was another decision that set Caldwell off.

“The ref didn’t know what he was doing," He fumed, "He books people, he gives fouls, he doesn’t give fouls, he gives a penalty, there was a handball in their first goal.

“Too many decisions go randomly to the bigger, more powerful team in the league too often. We have to live with that.

“That doesn’t help us and, like I say, that doesn’t take away [from the fact] Birmingham were by far the better team on the night, but they don’t need the ref to help them as well.”

Birmingham's FA Cup campaign continues with a trip to Blackpool on Saturday and is followed by a heavyweight clash with Stockport County on Wednesday night.

Exeter host Chesterfield without Woods before their tough run of League One games continues on Tuesday with the visit of the table-topping Wycombe to St James Park.