Ref under fire from bosses

ATHLETIC manager Lee Johnson bemoaned the decisions of referee Carl Boyeson as his side lost a two-goal lead.

Leading 2-0 thanks to strikes from Jabo Ibehre and George Elokobi, Athletic saw Doncaster’s revival begin after Joseph Mills was sent off.

It annoyed Johnson that Boyeson didn't even award a free-kick, initially, against Mills for an over the top tackle subsequently, after a chat among officials, considered dangerous.

The Athletic boss was further aggrieved when Doncaster pulled a goal back through Nathan Tyson after the substitute had clearly impeded Paul Rachubka when climbing for a header.

And the equaliser by James Coppinger followed an extraordinary decision to grant an advantage to Athletic when an offside flag went up, despite Danny Philliskirk having nowhere to go with the ball at his feet deep into added time.

“It's not a great challenge by Mills, but the manner in which the officials dealt with it was very, very poor," said Johnson, who went into the officials' room after the game with Dickov to discuss the controversial incidents.

"I think if they watch the video they'll be disappointed with their performance for both teams all throughout the match. The game changed on some poor officiating.

"There were so many decisions – and obviously we felt it was a foul on Rachubka. Sometimes you get three or four, but today it was probably 18 or 19 and that has such an effect on the game.

“The lads and the club, the fans and everyone stuck together. We were undone by something that wasn’t football.”

Dickov, the former Athletic boss, was equally scathing of the officials' efforts on the day.