Portsmouth's Gary O'Neil yesterday accused Tottenham manager Martin Jol of going into referee Uriah Rennie's dressing room at half-time to complain about his decisions in Monday night's Premiership match.

But Dutchman Jol has rejected the claims, while a statement issued by the Professional Game Match officials Ltd through the Premier League maintained no officials from either club entered Rennie's dressing room during the interval.

O'Neil insisted in the Evening Standard newspaper: "A few of their (Spurs) players were complaining to him (Rennie) at half-time that that he hadn't given them anything. Their manager went in to see him at half-time as well." The midfielder, who was adjudged to have handled an Andy Reid free-kick seven minutes from time to give Tottenham a decisive penalty, added: "I'm not saying that influenced him (Rennie) but who knows if that was in the back of his mind when he decided to give the penalty?

"I know it is a difficult job to be a ref and he has to make a decision quickly but it was harsh and 99 times out of 100 the game just plays on."

O'Neil added on his club's official website, www.pompeyfc.co.uk: "I tried to get out of the way. I tried to put my arms behind my back. I've never, ever seen a penalty given before for hitting someone in the wall. As soon as he (Reid) hit it I knew it was coming towards my right arm. I couldn't get out the way any more than I did. The referee wouldn't talk to us, although I told him I thought he was desperate to give them something."

Jol insisted he had not visited Rennie during the break, at which stage Portsmouth were leading 1-0. He told the Evening Standard: "It's total rubbish. I've never been in a ref's room during half-time in my life - in Holland or in England - and I will never do so.

"Uriah Rennie will confirm I did not last night. We get some decisions go against us and we don't whinge against them."