Law sees red over yellow

Nicky Law didn't bother turning over a new leaf after City's first league game in 2003. He went back to a depressingly tried and trusted script.

The theme, as if you hadn't guessed by now, was the standard of First Division referees after yet another example of the inconsistency shown by the men in the middle.

This time Tony Leake was in the dock over the sending off that got away.

While Leake was happy to show Peter Atherton the door to the noisy encouragement of the home fans, he fought shy of early-bathing Martin McIntosh.

The Rotherham skipper pulled back Ashley Ward to give City the penalty which kept alive their hopes of salvaging something from a heart-stopping Yorkshire derby.

Ward was clear on goal at the time and it was a blatant professional foul. Yet Leake strangely decided that it was not a clear scoring opportunity because the card for McIntosh was yellow not red.

Andy Gray may have tucked away the spot-kick but Rotherham had escaped the real punishment of playing the final half hour minus their inspirational captain. McIntosh, who had scored the home side's first goal, continued his domination of the air and the comeback hopes were left floundering.

Law said: "I thought it was an horrendous decision by the referee. Ashley was through, 18 yards out in the middle of the goal and just going to score but the ref said he was running away from the goal.

"I don't understand where he is coming from but then I don't know what goes through these referees' minds. Unfortunately you live and die by their decisions and we died by that.

"McIntosh stayed on and he kept winning everything that we've thrown up there. Had he been dismissed and we'd got the penalty then it would have been a different game."

You can see why players and managers get into trouble for disputing the referee. What are the ground rules?

Had Ward been hauled down just outside the box, would McIntosh have been sent off to even out the punishment because the ref couldn't point to the spot?

Law's sense of injustice hit boiling point in the closing minutes when Atherton, who had just been booked, launched a meaty tackle on Rotherham sub Stewart Talbot right in front of the main stand.

The home punters were on their feet screaming for blood, Ronnie Moore was out of his technical area hopping up and down, and Leake's mind was made up.

"It was a 50-50 ball that Pete was entitled to go for," argued Law. "Maybe he got a bit of man as well as the ball but the referee listened to the crowd and the opposition manager."

The Rotherham boss wore a broad grin at the final whistle which revealed more than his relief at his team's first home win in over two months.

There may have been a stilted handshake as the rival managers left the field but the two don't get on. And it has bugged Moore

massively that he had never beaten a Law team.

Moore had spoken all week of the Indian sign Law had over him. But it was a pity it needed a cowboy refereeing decision to help Rotherham remove it.

City travelled a few stops down the M1 with a real belief of extending their run of three wins out of four in the league. With Ward back after ten games out, plus Jamie Lawrence to beef up midfield, there was a strong look about the starting line-up.

Two postponements meant it was three weeks since the last league outing at Molineux. But there was no sign of any rust as City roared into the lead after only 102 seconds.

Claus Jorgensen is on the hottest of scoring streaks since Christmas and he notched for the third game in a row with a classy finish that any midfielder would be proud of.

Jorgensen created the danger by hurrying McIntosh into a poor clearance. Wayne Jacobs, back on his old stamping ground, worked it straight back into the penalty area and Jorgensen had anticipated the pass perfectly to slip away in space to rifle home.

It was a sensational start for the Bantams but only a taster for the thrills and spills to follow. The action fizzed from one end to the other as both sides conjured up chances at will.

Rotherham are the last side to roll over and give up and their response to that early blow was intense and predictable.

Not surprisingly the equaliser came from a set-piece as Darren Garner's free-kick was nodded in by McIntosh. And for the remainder of the first half, City found themselves under siege.

In one amazing spell, twice the ball was cleared off the line and the dangerous Darren Byfield headed against the bar. Rotherham were winning the headers at both ends but City hung on.

Then four minutes after the break the Millers got the break that their pressure had warranted. Garner's shot from 20 yards looked no threat to Aidan Davison, who had stood up well to the previous pressure.

Davison started to go right but the ball took a wicked deflection and the keeper could only watch in horror as it spun the other way and finished ever so gently in the opposite corner.

Byfield made it 3-1 from the penalty spot after a foul by Robert Molenaar but City responded immediately. Ward did his bit with the run, Gray from the spot. Unfortunately referee Leake neglected his duties and allowed McIntosh to stay on the field.

He had no such qualms about dismissing Atherton who will now, like Gray, miss the Ipswich home game on February 1.