Hull City manager Steve Bruce blasted the decision to award Spurs a contentious second half penalty and claimed the referee cost his side a point.

Michael Oliver pointed to the spot on 79 minutes when Jan Vertonghen’s cross struck Ahmed Elmohamady’s arm via a deflection off his leg from close range.

Spurs had found it incredibly difficult to break down Hull but Soldado netted the spot kick to give his side a fortunate victory.

Speaking about the penalty decision, Bruce said: “It’s a joke of a decision the more you see it. It hit his leg first for a start. How can you give a penalty for that?

“These referees have more directives and assistance than ever and they give decisions like that – it baffles me.

“Would we have got it? He couldn’t wait to give it. It’s a huge frustration for us.”

Andre Villas-Boas admitted in his post match interview that his side had received a bit of fortune with the decision, which left Bruce and his backroom staff furious on the touchline.

Bruce said: “Andre totally agreed. It’s not right. He’s robbed our players of a well earned point. I spoke to the referee after the game but what is the point really? He totally ballsed it up. If I make a decision as bad as that, I get the sack.

“I don’t mind getting beaten fairly and squarely but to go down like that is frustrating. I could talk all day about tactics, our shape, how we have played, but none of it matters because the referee has cost us the game.

“A bit of common sense says that was not a penalty. We’re a million miles from Spurs and we’ll continue to be if we keep getting decisions like that.”

Hull return to White Hart Lane on Wednesday to face Spurs again, this time in the league cup.

On that fixture, Bruce said: “We’ll look forward to Wednesday, maybe with a different referee.”