Steve Evans unhappy with referee after Rotherham United triumph

Steve Evans with Paul Warne on Saturday. Picture by Trevor Price

FORMER Rotherham United boss Steve Evans pointed the finger at the referee after watching his side crash to a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of his old club.

Evans, who led the Millers from League Two to the Championship in his spell at AESSEAL New York, is now in charge of Gillingham.

Rotherham were comfortable League One victors at Priestfield Stadium, leaving Evans to bemoan the performance of Devon official Lee Swabey.

"I think the referee is a poor one and he was poor on Saturday," he said. "I have watched him a number of times, neutrally as well.

"The referee got one or two things wrong. He didn’t give us a lot."

Evans pointed to two first-half incidents: one where Regan Charles-Cook was ruled offside when he went through on goal and another when Millers defender Michael Ihiekwe escaped punishment after appearing to tug back Brandon Hanlan who was bearing down on goal.

"I don’t question the referee's integrity and honesty, but I think: ‘How is that not a red card?’ It has to be," the Gills boss fumed.

"It was a big moment in the game but he doesn’t give it. "Brandon said it was a foul. All of the players said it was a foul."

Evans was booked in the 25th minute by Swabey for his touchline protests.

Victory moved Paul Warne's team to tenth in the table, two points outside the play-off spots, and dropped Gillingham to 16th.

Matt Crooks scored twice to take his tally to six goals in six games and his first strike was a stunning 30-yard lob.

"I think it’s a harsh scoreline," added Evans went on to made a comment about the size of Rotherham's budget.

"I came off to one or two comments saying we were rubbish, but we weren’t rubbish.

"We had possession for long periods in the first half against the wind and then it was total domination in the second half, territorially.

"We never took our chances whereas they were ruthless. The boy, Matt Crooks, gets the lob and scores at the other end as well. That is what big money attracts, it attracts big players."