Gold Coast United coach Miron Bleiberg has blamed the referee for his side's 1-0 loss to Wellington Phoenix.

United were defeated by a Paul Ifill penalty in stoppage time of the first half but Bleiberg does not agree with referee Matthew Breeze's decision to award the New Zealand club the spot-kick after defender Bas van den Brink's challenge on Tim Brown.

Bleiberg has blasted Breeze's no nonsense approach although he tried not to take away from the Phoenix's win.

"First of all I don't want to sound like a sore loser, so well done Wellington. They played well, they got the gift but they were good enough to protect it and we were not good enough to penetrate and score," the Gold Coast boss began.

Continuing Bleiberg said: "Imagine in the wild west, there is some small town that is creating a lot of problems, making a lot of noise, a lot of murders or whatever, so the Marshall's Office decide to put some law enforcement into this town, so they send one of the best Sheriff's to put the rule into town.

"So in comes the Sheriff and he does whatever he needs to do, and then it's quiet, he's killed all the bad elements in this town.

"About the penalty, obviously I didn't have the benefit to watch it too many times, but according to Andy Harper and the other commentator that was there, it wasn't a penalty.

"We have to accept the referee's decision, but it is disappointing from our point of view to lose the chance to win the championship for a doubtful penalty."