Ipswich Town boss Paul Jewell criticises female assistant

Ipswich manager Paul Jewell could find himself in trouble after he criticised female assistant referee Amy Fearn following the 2-1 defeat at Birmingham on Wednesday night.

Jewell was angry that Town had not been awarded a penalty for Steven Caldwell's challenge on Lee Martin.

'To every man, but not a woman [it was a penalty],' he said when a journalist suggested 'everyone to a man thought it was a penalty'.

'Although the referee didn't have a good view, the lineswoman, or whatever she's called, had a great view.'

Jewell is already under pressure with Town unable to drag themselves out of a poor run of form – the defeat at St Andrew's was Ipswich's 10th in 13 matches.

He added: 'It's a stonewall penalty and it's a sending-off but he [referee Robert Lewis] didn't give it. You better ask him why he didn't give it, or her why she [Fearn] didn't give it.'

Fearn, formerly Amy Rayner, was the subject of criticism from Luton manager Mike Newell in 2006 which saw him fined �6,500 by the Football Association.