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"The player didn't go to ground. He didn't make a rash challenge; he got his body in front; he comes away with the ball completely under control - and I don't think even the Burnley players asked for a penalty. I don't think the Burnley fans asked for a penalty, and he gave it. A decision that baffled me as a manager," said Duffy, and added that it flattened his side: "I think for ten, 15 minutes after that we were very flat; again, maybe feeling a little bit sorry for ourselves. But we managed to grind ourselves back into it again."
It wasn't just that decision, one in which television evidence supports the referee, but he wasn't happy with Norwich not winning a spot kick just before half time. Duffy said: "Darren Huckerby gets through; the boy slides in; he does go to ground; doesn't win the ball; does connect with Darren Huckerby's ankle, I've seen it on the video, and he doesn't give a penalty.
"We're not saying that's everything to do with the result, but I think it can have a huge bearing on the result."
Duffy was pleased with the way his side played after those two early goals. "The players showed a tremendous desire to try and get something from the match and John Hartson brought us into the game," he said.
David Strihavka had done well on Saturday and, as you know, John is still searching for his fitness and we just didn't feel his legs were quite there yet," explained Duffy. "But he brings us up the pitch; gets us involved; occupies defenders. And it was probably the right time to bring him on because at that time we had a grip on the game. And then Jamie Cureton came on and gave us a slightly different option, sniffing in and around the penalty box and he had a fantastic chance to get us the equaliser which he should have got. So there's light there - but we know that we can't keep saying that. We've got to turn the corner - and turn it soon.
"The players are not rolling over; they are rolling their sleeves up. A lot of teams here, and some Norwich teams in the past, at 2-0 down after four minutes would have capitulated. But they didn't. And the situation that we're in now it tells you that there is a bit of backbone to that team. And if we can just get Jimmy Smith back, Jamie Cureton back, get a little bit fitter with John Hartson then we might start to get things right."
Things aren't just right for the Clarets either and again Steve Cotterill admitted to being unable to explain how again we allowed a side to come back into the game. "I think we made a bright start and played very well in the first half," he said. "We knocked the ball around and played some great football, but we have got to be better in the second half. We did the same on Saturday and we have to be better over ninety minutes and then we will go on and win games clearer than we did tonight.v"All in all we are a tinge disappointed with our second half and when you get to that stage, what you are thinking is why we have got their in the first place. To be honest, if they had come back to 2-2 I don't think that would have been a fair result, but you need that third goal and God knows why that is. We've had it ourselves against Ipswich.
"You are almost better being 1-0 because the players seem to stay on their mettle a bit more. I haven't got a clue why that is and if I could work it out I would write a book and end up being a millionaire because every manager would buy it.
"If that third goal goes to the opposition, they have nothing to lose and in the end I suppose what I should be saying is 'well done' to them and not worrying about their goal.
"it gets a bit nervy when they throw balls into the box so now everyone knows why Michael Duff plays at right back because if you don't have enough headers in this league you get done. Tonight he would have picked up their best header, and that means there is a knock on effect on who the other defenders mark.
It is tough at the moment, but to be fair to them they have hung in there and got a result. It ended up being a good three points for us really and now, with that game in hand, we can put ourselves right in there. If we took those three points it may put us third, so all of a sudden everybody would be eulogising about how fantastic we've been this season."