Rotherham United manager Steve Evans said he ‘couldn’t believe what he was watching’ in his team’s stoppage time defeat at Reading FC last weekend.
The Royals won the game from the penalty spot in the 94th minute when Harvey Knibbs netted his second of the game to seal a 2-1 win.
After the defeat, Millers boss Evans was angered by the referee’s performance.
He has now written a column for the Rotherham Advertiser, where he reflected on recent refereeing decisions that he believes have gone against his time, including last week against Reading.
He said: “I couldn’t believe what I was watching at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
“There was a very good referee in Sam Purkiss working as the fourth official while the one out there on the pitch, Thomas Parsons, was out of his depth.
“I spoke to the EFL’s head of referees, Mike Jones, the day after and he accepted that we had been very hard done by.
“Mike’s a fair guy. He agreed that the Royals’ first goal should have been disallowed for an offside in the build-up and that Zak Jules’ challenge on Harvey Knibbs in stoppage time wasn’t worthy of a penalty.
“He also said that it was a very harsh decision to rule out the Reading own goal in the second half that would have given us a 2-1 lead and put us in control of the contest.
“The referee and his near-side assistant messed up on that one. Both of them had terrible days.
“I have to believe that what referees are doing to us isn’t personal against me. If I thought it was, I’d be lying awake at night in need of sleeping pills.”
To read the full column, visit: https://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/sport/football/rotherham-united/referees-could-drive-me-to-sleeping-pills-rotherham-united-boss-steve-evans-writes-for-the-advertiser-5000120
