Fulham manager Mark Hughes felt referee Michael Oliver’s decision to send him to the stands during Fulham’s 1-1 draw with Wolves was ‘petty’.

The Cottagers manager was banished from the touchline early in the second half after disagreeing with a yellow card handed out to Brede Hangeland for what Oliver deemed to be a foul on Steven Fletcher.

Hughes kicked a water bottle in frustration and admitted after the final whistle that he had been stunned by some of the officiating.

Asked why he had been told to go and sit in the stands, Hughes said “It was for abuse of a water bottle, which is a new one on me, and maybe because I missed my kick three times before I made contact.

“But it was a little bit petty I felt. I was a little bit upset because I thought Brede Hangeland made a fair challenge and won the ball, and the referee saw fit to book him.

“It was a little bit frustrating for myself and Mick (McCarthy) today I think. On a couple of occasions the official has made decisions that mystified both of us.”

Fulham carved out the better chances throughout the match at Molineux but fell behind to a Steven Fletcher goal.

Wolves then defended their lead resolutely until Andrew Johnson equalised moments after coming on as a substitute in the 80th minute, and Hughes felt it was the least his side deserved.

Reflecting on how he felt when Wolves opened the scoring, Hughes said: “We were scratching our heads because we’d made a number of clear chances and were playing well.

“But we had to show character today and we got back on level terms and could have won it.”

The result took Fulham onto 39 points but, despite not being quite safe yet, Hughes is looking up rather than down.

He explained: “We have got five games until the end of the season and we are looking to get points in each and every one of them, and if we do that we will be more than comfortable and we feel we’ll be in the top half rather than the bottom.”