Cardiff boss Dave Jones was furious with referee Lee Probert after seeing his side lose two men and their unbeaten away record with a 1-0 defeat at QPR.
The Bluebirds played for an hour without their captain Darren Purse following his straight red card for a late tackle on Lee Cook.
They held out until 10 minutes from time, when substitute Gavin Mahon headed QPR's winner, and then had full-back Miguel Comminges sent off for dissent, his second bookable offence.
"They talk about respect but how much respect for the game did the ref have?" said Jones
"Purse was never a sending-off and Miguel talked to the linesman and got sent off for it. If referees make decisions like that all season it will be crazy.
"What's the point of appealing? We won't get any joy because they are a law unto themselves.
"The referee and his assistants have to look at themselves. Is he good enough to referee at this level? I say no. His performance was not acceptable. Even Gareth Ainsworth said it was not a sending-off."
Ainsworth, still in caretaker charge of QPR following Iain Dowie's sacking last month, admitted: "I thought it looked harsh and I told Dave and Darren that."
Cardiff gave Michael Chopra his second debut after he rejoined the club on loan from Sunderland, and even with 10 men they looked the more likely to score.
But the striker, who hit 22 goals in 44 games in his first spell with the Welsh side, could not find a way through and it was left to Mahon, a 67th-minute substitute, to score the game's only goal with a superb header from Peter Ramage's cross.
QPR co-owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone - no strangers to late drama themselves following last weekend's climax to the Formula One season - were in attendance and even gave the players a pre-match pep talk.
"Flavio was in the dressing room with Bernie Ecclestone, motivating the players and geeing them up," explained Ainsworth.
"Flavio likes to be involved, he's a winner through and through in sport and it's fantastic to have him on board. And it's great to see Bernie Ecclestone here - he's a bit of a lucky charm for us at the moment.
"I have no problems with them being in the dressing room before the game and nor do the players."
Ainsworth, who expects to still be in charge when Rangers head to Manchester United in the Carling Cup on Tuesday, added: "Gavin came up with a fantastic header for us. We'll take the three points and we are well in touch with the top six."