United were held to a 3-3 draw by League One's bottom club after a game of intense drama at Vale Park on Saturday, and Hughes and Gary McAllister were left to bemoan a controversial second-half decision which revived Port Vale's faltering performance.

Penton awarded Port Vale a penalty in the 62nd minute with Lee Sinnott's side trailing 2-0 and making little impression on United's defence.

Hughes was penalised by the Sussex official after blocking a header from Marc Richards, but despite Penton ruling that the ball had struck Hughes' arm, replays appeared to show that it had rebounded off the left-back's head.

Paul Harsley converted the spot-kick to spark a dramatic fightback which saw Vale score a second goal moments later through Danny Whitaker and then claimed a point with the last kick of the game after Dougie Freedman's strike four minutes from time looked to have salvaged a badly-needed victory for Leeds.

Hughes protested angrily against Penton's award of a penalty, and the booking he received as a result of the incident has taken him to 10 cautions of the season, landing him with a two-game ban.
Hughes said: "We were cruising, and I can't believe the referee's given a penalty.

"The ball hit me in the face, and I couldn't see out of my eyes at first because it smashed against my nose. I'm absolutely devastated.

"I tried to tell him what had happened but he wouldn't listen to me. He said he had to stick with his linesman, and to me that's not good enough. Things like this could cost us.

"I've had the same referee before and he's never done me any favours. You can't talk to him and he won't talk to you. If you give a referee respect you expect a little bit back, and unfortunately I didn't think we got any."

Hughes' suspension will begin during Saturday's game against Walsall and will also rule him out of United's match at home to Brighton on March 29, and the ban has come as a huge disappointment to a player who made his first start for five games on Saturday after overcoming a knee injury.

Hughes said: "I've gone past my 10th booking so I'm suspended now, and that's tough to take. I've been trying hard to get back in the team, and I'll be out of it again because of a poor decision."

Penton had earlier angered United's players by failing to point to the spot after Freedman was brought down inside the box by Port Vale goalkeeper Joe Anyon.

But Leeds scored twice in quick succession to establish a 2-0 lead at half-time and looked to have scraped through a difficult afternoon when Freedman pounced with a third goal in the 86th minute, and Hughes and McAllister were agreed in admitting that Penton's involvement should not have prevented United from securing three points regardless.

Luke Rodgers' struck deep into injury-time to earn Vale a 3-3 draw, one of two goals which owed much to United's poor marking, and Hughes said: "For some reason we were defending so deep when they scored their third goal. We've let ourselves down and we've let the fans down.

"I'm really disappointed for the thousands of supporters who came over for the game, and although I thought the back four defended well in the first half, in the second half the defending wasn't good enough. It's cost us.

"It doesn't feel like a point gained, and we've got to learn quick. Time's running out and it's running out fast. We have to realise that."
McAllister had aimed for a maximum return of nine points from games against Vale, Cheltenham Town and Bournemouth during the past week, and a haul of four fell far short of his target.

But the United boss refused to hide behind the contentious penalty awarded by Penton, and said: "The players are unbelievably disappointed because they know they had the three points and the game under control.

"On (the penalty) decision it became more difficult, and they got a bit of momentum, but the thing we've got to learn is not to let decisions affect us. I've still got to say that the two other goals were poor defensively. To lose a goal with the last kick of the ball is not good enough.

"The fact is that if you come away from home and score three goals, you should be going home with the points."