BLACKBURN Rovers manager Mark Hughes last night launched a scathing attack on John Terry, accusing the Chelsea skipper of deliberately going down in the area to earn his side a penalty.

Hughes felt Terry effectively conned referee Mark Clattenburg into awarding the second half spot-kick, which proved the turning point in yesterday's game with the champions.

Rovers went on to lose the match 2-0, but Hughes remained adamant the outcome might have been different had Mr Clattenburg not pointed to the spot when Terry collapsed' in a heap following his 49th minute tussle with Rovers debutant Andre Ooijer.

"From our point of view, the penalty decision was a big decision in the game and the referee needed to get it right, but he didn't," blasted Hughes.

"We also had a claim for a penalty for a shirt pull (on Jason Roberts) and he missed that one as well.

"But my main concern was for the first one. At that point in the game, I never felt in any danger of Chelsea causing us a problem.

"In the first half, we were by far the better team and dominated proceedings, so to concede a penalty was the worst case scenario for us.

"When the referee looks at it again I think he'll maybe change his mind.

"John Terry was aware that Andre Ooijer was closely marking him and he knows the referee is looking at him so he then decided to collapse his knees and fall in a heap.

"That's what the referee then saw.

"Maybe in his mind was the directive they've had this year about tying people down and grabbing hold of people in boxes.

"Perhaps that sprung into his mind and he felt he had to highlight it.

"But the penalty decision totally changed the game from our point of view.

"As soon as Chelsea get in front, they're a very difficult side to beat."

Hughes wasn't the only one in the Rovers camp to feel aggrieved by some of Mr Clattenburg's decisions.

Jason Roberts also claimed he should have had a penalty when Ricardo Carvalho pulled him back by the shirt in the 73rd minute, when Rovers were trailing 1-0.

"I was disappointed with their penalty decision," said Roberts.

"The ref said it's letter the law. If you pull someone's shirt then he's got to give it, but there was other stuff going on on the pitch.

"There was a challenge on me when Carvalho held my shirt but that wasn't given.

"If you're going to start giving penalties for people pulling shirts then my shirt was pulled.

"You could see that on TV. You could see it at the time. And I certainly felt it.

"I tried my best to stay on my feet, but it wasn't given."

Hughes later suggested Roberts was punished for his own honesty, a viewpoint the striker also shared.

"Maybe I paid the price for being too honest," added the former Wigan man.

"It's hard because the perception is I'm a big, strong lad and if I go down I inevitably don't get penalty decisions.

"Last season, it was the same. Numerous penalty decisions went against me which I should have had, and today was the same."