Harry Redknapp reiterated calls for the introduction of video technology after his side’s 5-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea that included a goal-line decision howler from the officials.

Referee Martin Atkinson judged that Juan Mata’s 50th minute shot at 1-0 crossed the line despite replays showing the ball had clearly been blocked inches in front of the goal mouth.

Chelsea went on to humiliate Spurs with a second half drubbing and although Redknapp believes Atkinson’s decision was not the sole reason his side were knocked out of the cup, he did call for the introduction of video technology.

He said: “The second goal was a disaster – it was nowhere near a goal. It was an honest mistake but when you look at it, it was nowhere near going over the line.

“He (Atkinson) has made a big mistake, he hasn’t done it on purpose but I don’t see how he can give the goal. There’s nothing we can do about it now, you need goal-line technology, surely it’s got to come into the game. It’s important and eventually it’s got to happen – you can’t keep having situations like that.

He added: “He must have (guessed) he can’t have been sure. He’s given an honest decision, he’s just made a mistake. I spoke to him, he said he feels worse than I do, I said ‘I don’t think so’. He feels bad, he knows he’s made a mistake.”

Tottenham hit the woodwork in the first half and saw Rafael Van der Vaart’s header cleared off the line before Drogba put the Blues ahead minutes before the break.

Redknapp felt his side were the better team in the opening 45 minutes and refused to blame the referee’s decision on the result.

He said: “I’m not going to sit here and say that’s why we got beaten in the end. We were chasing the game at 2-1, we needed a goal and they picked us off. At the end of the day they’ve got a little bit more know-how than us in certain areas and it showed in the end.

“You could tell by the reaction of the players it wasn’t a goal but we’ve got to pick ourselves up now. We’ve got some important games to come and we need to make sure we get that fourth spot. It’s not going to be easy but I still believe we can do it.

“I’ve got to find a team amongst that group that are going to have the nerve, the willpower and the desire to get that fourth spot. We’ve got to go to QPR next week and show we can bounce back from today - it’s a test of character now.”