RSL coach blames ref for loss

HOUSTON — An ocean away from the World Cup, Real Salt Lake coach John Ellinger knows exactly how U.S. National Team coach Bruce Arena feels about officials. Unlike Arena, however, Ellinger wasn't afraid to voice his opinions following RSL's 2-1 loss to the Houston Dynamo Saturday night.

"My initial thought is Ben Jones has cheated us now in two games," said Ellinger about the center official. "We're told at the beginning of the year referees don't impact games. Well, after two performances by this gentleman in those two games, I beg to differ. He impacts everything you do."

It's not the first — and definitely won't be the last — time Ellinger gets frustrated about officiating, but on Saturday he just couldn't restrain himself from popping off to the media.

First, Ellinger was already frustrated that Houston's only goal in the first half occurred after keeper Scott Garlick saved a penalty kick, but no one reacted quickly enough to prevent Brian Mullan from pouncing on the rebound.

RSL regrouped at halftime thanks to a pair of substitutions and a tactical switch, and was clearly more dangerous as a result in the second half. Real seemed to be rewarded in the 56th minute as Atiba Harris buried a Jeff Cunningham rebounded shot. Unfortunately for RSL, the linesman deemed Harris to be in an offsides position when Cunningham unspooled the 12-yard shot.

The fact that video replay clearly proved Harris was onside was frustrating enough, but what transpired six minutes later contributed mightily to Ellinger going off on Jones.

Less than six minutes after receiving his first yellow card, Houston defender Eddie Robinson fouled Cunningham hard near the sideline, an incident that sent Cunningham crashing into the field boards. It's the type of challenge that typically receives a yellow card, but Ellinger was stunned by what happened next.

"That should've been a red card on Eddie Robinson. Ben looks at his book, sees he's already given him a card, and now he goes and talks to him," said Ellinger. "(Houston coach Dominic Kinnear) actually realizes what's going on and takes him out of the game. So Dom takes care of the problem because the referee can't take care of the problem."

The final 30 minutes of the game are probably a blur for Ellinger. He just can't seem to get Jones' officiating out of his mind. In a 1-0 loss to Columbus on May 6, a game officiated by Jones, Ellinger believes the official missed a blatant hand ball in the box in the waning minutes.