AN ACR INBOUND TO EWR AND MAINTAINING 9000 FT WAS ISSUED RADAR VECTORS AND DELAYED FOR APPROX 20 MINS WHEN THEY WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH A XING RESTR. LATER WHEN CLRED FOR THE PUBLISHED ARR; THE FLC MISREAD THE EXPECTED ALT FOR A HARD ALT AND STARTED DSCNT. THE CTLR CAUGHT THE DEV AND THE FLT BEGAN A CLB.

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DURING DSCNT AT REQUESTED ATC SPD OF 290 KIAS NYC APCH CLRED US TO CROSS SWEET INTXN AT 7000 FT MSL. DURING DSCNT ATC REQUESTED US TO SLOW TO 250 KIAS AT APPROX 12000 FT MSL. DSCNT WAS SHALLOWED AND SPD BRAKES (SPOILERS) WERE DEPLOYED TO HELP SLOW AND GO DOWN. ATC ASKED IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR WHICH WE REPLIED THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE. WE WERE THEN TURNED AND TOLD TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT MSL. ATC VECTORED US AROUND FOR SOME 20 MINS BEFORE TURNING US BACK IN AND CLRING US FOR THE WILLIAMSPORT STAR. WE WERE STILL AT 9000 FT MSL. I ASKED THE FO TO ASK IF WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 FT TO WHICH HE REPLIED THAT WE WERE CLRED ON THE ARR THUS WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 FT. I AGAIN ASKED HIM TO DOUBLE-CHK TO WHICH HE DID. I HAD IN THE MEANTIME BEGUN A SHALLOW DSCNT TO 7000 FT AS NOT TO BE TOO HIGH ONCE AGAIN. (DSCNT AT 300 FPM.) THE CTLR REPLIED THAT OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS 9000 FT MSL TO WHICH I STARTED AN IMMEDIATE CLB BACK TO 9000 FT FROM APPROX 8500 FT. NO CONFLICTS DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF THIS DEV. I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE: 1) WE WERE BEING PUNISHED BY ATC. 2) MY PAX WERE BEING PUNISHED. 3) THAT THE CTLR SET US UP AS I HAD ASKED FOR ATC'S PHONE # EARLIER. 4) HIS (THE CTLR) PHRASEOLOGY WAS POOR IN THAT WHEN CLRING US HE SHOULD HAVE STATED 'CLRED TO REJOIN THE WILLIAMSPORT ARR MAINTAIN 9000 FT.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 371570: AFTER VECTORING FOR 20 MINS ATC CLRED US FOR THE WILLIAMSPORT ARR. I TOLD THE CAPT TO MAKE SWEET AT 7000 FT AND HE BEGAN A SLOW DSCNT. THEN REREAD APCH STAR AND SAW 'EXPECT' SWEET AT 7000 FT AND WE WERE NOT ACTUALLY GIVEN 'SWEET' AT 7000 FT. WE ASKED ATC WHAT ALT HE WANTED AND HE SAID 9000 FT BUT NOW CROSS SWEET AT 7000 FT. WE WERE ALREADY AT 8500 FT BY THIS TIME. WE WERE UPSET AT THE 20 MIN VECTOR AND FELT WE WERE BEING PENALIZED FOR NOT INITIALLY BEING ABLE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR.