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Was this 2-1 to Nottingham Forest - or 2-1 to the referee?

That is the question Newcastle United fans are rightly asking after an awful display from Staffordshire whistler Stephen Martin .

Martin was refereeing Chester v North Ferriby in the National League only last weekend and perhaps on this evidence he should go back there after making a mockery of this Sky Bet Championship clash.

Then again, even the old Conference could be deemed too much for Martin on a painful night of injustice for the Magpies.

Martin was on the end of taunts of: “You’re not fit to referee” by Newcastle fans but after some questionable decisions against Forest too, home fans in the main stand branded the Staffordshire official a “clown” during the second half.

Perhaps it should be looked at as an achievement that Newcastle got within four minutes of a point on a night overshadowed by the man in the middle.

The game started at a frantic pace but neither side were able to create any real chances in the opening exchanges.

Newcastle’s first glimpse of goal arrived on eight minutes when DeAndre Yedlin weaved his way into the box but Forest got back in numbers to clear.

Moments later, Yedlin’s Forest counter-part Matty Cash made a telling forward run and fired in an angled effort at Karl Darlow who managed to claw the ball to safety.

Matt Ritchie was next to test Forest goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic but his effort swerved wide.

Newcastle won a free-kick on 13 minutes high on the right hand side, but Jonjo Shelvey’s centre was punched away by Stojkovic.

Forest appealed for a penalty with 20 minutes gone when Ben Osborn and Paul Dummett went shoulder to shoulder, however, ref Martin waved away protests with his joker cards still to come.

As the game edged towards the half hour mark, Dwight Gayle slipped the ball to Yoan Gouffran but his effort curled wide.

Newcastle continued to pressure Forest and Gayle forced a corner on 31 minutes.

Shelvey eventually clipped in a cross but Ciaran Clark could not connect.

The Ireland defender was also pulled back and given the decisions that followed could argue he should have had a spot-kick.

However, on 33 minutes the game heated up significantly and descended into a farce.

Shelvey clashed with Henri Lansbury and while the former Arsenal man made a meal of things, ref Martin still produced a red card.

Some fans thought the decision was harsh, but others questioned why Shelvey needed to react at all.

A stern telling off and the penalty award was probably sufficient punishment.

Newcastle goalkeeper Darlow then had to face a penalty on his return to the City Ground.

Ex-Sunderland stopper Nicklas Bendtner stepped up but Darlow saved wonderfully to his left to deny him.

Despite having 10 men though, Newcastle rolled their sleeves up and started to pose more questions at the Forest defence.

On the stroke of half-time Forest failed to clear their lines after a free-kick and the ball rolled kindly for Ritchie who swept it home to snatch the lead.

But just when it looked like the Magpies were heading in at the break with an advantage there was more controversy.

Dummett clattered into Lansbury and was sent off for what was deemed by the ref as a professional foul.

Again, Lansbury made plenty of it but ref Martin stuck to the letter of the law on new rules surrounding goalscoring opportunities.

Dummett was also last man which probably made up the ref’s mind in the end.

Martin - who hadn’t awarded a penalty all season - pointed to the spot for the second time of the night.

Lansbury struck the spot-kick this time but Darlow - booked for unsporting behavior as Forest prepared for the penalty - guessed the right way and saved again before saving the rebound.

Darlow’s second spot-kick save off the night saw him sprawl himself the opposite direction to keep out Lansbury’s effort.

Newcastle’s resistance lasted just seven second half minutes as Forest scrambled the ball home from close range after the Magpies had failed to clear.

Darlow had kept out the initial effort from the former Arsenal man but Newcastle’s luck ran out and the Dane wheeled away in celebration.

Forest’s next chance came on the hour mark when a cross from the right was fired over by Bendtner.

Yedlin then cleared one off the line from Bendtner as Forest cranked up the pressure.

Newcastle absorbed most of it, and had a couple of breaks themselves with Isaac Hayden sending one wide and Gayle failing to get on the end of a cross.

United boss Benitez threw on Mo Diame for the last 13 minutes as they looked for an injection of energy.

With four minutes left Lansbury’s corner fell to Matty Cash and Lascelles got the final touch with four minutes to go.

Newcastle tried to react when throwing on Aleksandar Mitrovic but two players down, they’d given everything in the tank.

The defeat rounds off a bad week for the Magpies but again this should be kept in context.

Undone by some appalling decisions, Newcastle should emerge even more determined to show some real defiance in the next few weeks.