Gary Rowett unhappy with referee as Derby draw at Millwall

Posted Wednesday, January 31, 2018 by PA

Gary Rowett was unhappy with referee Oliver Langford and his assistants after Derby were denied a late winner in their 0-0 draw at Millwall.

Ikechi Anya thought he won the game for the Rams six minutes from time when he slotted neatly into the back of the net – only to see the assistant raise his flag.

Victory would have seen Derby maintain a three-point gap over third-placed Aston Villa but that is now down to just one and Rowett says the officials need to be more accurate.

“When you see the offside decision, I’m not very pleased at all because it was clearly on side,” said Rams boss Rowett.

“It was a very poor decision. That’s two games in a row where we’ve had a penalty decision not go our way, against Bristol [City] in the last game and then again today.

“It’s tight games like this that sometimes you need those calls to go the right way.”

Derby have won just one of their last four Sky Bet Championship games but are unbeaten since the end of November in the league.

That is a run stretching back 10 matches, but they struggled to break down a stubborn Millwall side.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game here, they’ve got a very good home record,” Rowett added.

“They have been really competitive all season, I think Neil [Harris] has done a fantastic job.

“But we actually dealt with them really well. It doesn’t seem to be an issue for us when games are tough, that’s what I like about the team, when games are tough it doesn’t seem to bother us.

“It was the other side of the game today, we just needed an extra 10 per cent.”

Millwall boss Harris was also left frustrated with referee Langford after striker Lee Gregory wanted a penalty when he was caught by a high boot.

Derby had 60 per cent possession but Millwall created the better chances in a game with few clear-cut openings, with Jed Wallace forcing Scott Carson into a smart close-range save.

The Londoners moved into 14th place in the Championship table but Harris believes they, too, should have had three points.

“I think the referee made a really poor decision in the fact it was a penalty kick,” he said.

“The player had gone for the ball but we talk about dangerous play in the modern game and, if my player getting six stitches at half-time caused by studs to the head isn’t dangerous, intentionally or not, then I don’t know what is.

“The fourth official said he didn’t see him coming and that he was playing for the ball, it’s probably true but you’re not allowed to have your foot that high on the football pitch anymore.

“However, I don’t want to focus on that I want to focus on a very solid clean sheet for us.”