Questions, referees and fourth officials ... the story of Rotherham United 2 Wycombe Wanderers 3
STEVE Evans was late coming into the media suite for his post-match interview. When he did arrive, one of the first questions was asked by himself.
The manager was stern-faced, low, agitated after Rotherham United's match against Wycombe Wanderers had erupted in its final few minutes.
For a few tantalising seconds it looked like the Millers were on course for a 2-1 victory at AESSEAL New York Stadium when Jonson Clarke-Harris leapt, turned and rifled the ball home in the 87th minute.
The referee awarded the goal. Then, on advice, he disallowed it for handball. Then Wycombe scored twice in and around stoppage time. Then a last-gasp Rotherham penalty reduced the arrears but didn't alter anything. The game was lost.
“When did the fourth official become the referee?” Evans enquired.
In his heart, he knew the decision to rule out Clarke-Harris's strike was the right one. Yet his mind, as it so often does after a defeat, felt the need to vent.
“I think the ball does hit his arm,” the boss said. “He's jumping for it with his arms up, which is how people elevate.
“Interestingly, the referee gave the goal and it was the fourth official who said it shouldn't stand.
“I've been in to see the referee and said: ‘This is a new one for me in 30 years as a manager where the referee is not the referee anymore.’”
All the officials had done was work in tandem, which is something Evans' team – and Wycombe's, to be fair – had failed to do until everything suddenly picked up midway through the second half.
The first period had been a non-event, pretty much empty of incident and even emptier of seat, with many, many fans choosing to give a miss to a cold Tuesday evening at New York at the dead end of a dispiriting campaign.
The Millers are 14th in League One and going nowhere this term. Wanderers jumped into the top two.
There were two misses by Shaun McWilliams and one by the visitors' Joe Low before, finally, just after the hour-mark, the game sparked into life.
Mallik Wilks wriggled clear and hit a post and soon afterwards substitute Louie Sibley, on for the injured Zak Jules, rifled in a fierce effort at the near post.
Wycombe hit straight back via the division's leading marksman, Richard Kone, and New York had a contest on its hands.
Evans' questioning didn't stop with the referee, his back four and goalkeeper also came under scrutiny.
Kone had found acres of space between Hakeem Oddofin and Cameron Humphreys, to head past Dillon Phillips.
Later, three minutes after the Clarke-Harris affair, Phillips found his path to the ball blocked at a corner and Sonny Bradley's head applied the finish.
“One of our centre-halves is at fault for the first goal,” the manager said. “The second goal is a frustrating one. It is a simple corner and Dillon gets blocked. The boys at Wycombe play for that type of routine.
“Dillon should do better with that. He has to come and take it rather than get stuck in with bodies. There are bodies in that area every week from corners.”
At 1-1, Rotherham got their game together and pushed for a winner. But Bradley's 90th-minute intervention put paid to that prospect and Gideon Kodua's low shot two minutes later rubbed salt into home wounds.
“Our performance was dominant in the second half,” Evans said. “The first half was more tactical and cancelling each other out a little bit.
“I was less concerned with the third goal. We were chasing to get back in the game and had four or five up front. Wycombe took advantage of that. Their players know they have turned up with a balaclava to take the points.”
Deep into stoppage time, Clarke-Harris coolly converted a penalty awarded for a foul on Josh Kayode and a frantic late burst was repelled by Wanderers blocks.
It was a match Rotherham didn't deserve to lose and could have won but the fact is, they have now recorded only two victories in their last 10 matches.
Yet again, there was a loud, negative reaction at the final whistle as those supporters who had turned up voiced their growing sense of disconnect.
“There are no boos if Clarke-Harris scores the second goal?” Evans responded. “We have to stand back and look at the performance. Ours was good, I thought.”
The 87th minute remained at the forefront of his angst.
“The referee was 10 yards away and didn't give the handball,” he said. “The fourth official was 60 yards away.”
That was stretching the truth as well as the size of the pitch.
It's a bleak time to be a Miller as the season gloomily peters out and affects thoughts about the next one.
Evans knows better than anyone the big question surrounding him if the situation doesn't improve.
Rotherham (4-1-3-2): Dillon Phillips; Joe Rafferty, Hakeem Odoffin, Zak Jules (Louie Sibley 17), Reece James; Cameron Humphreys; Pelly Mpanzu, Shaun McWilliams (Jonson Clarke-Harris 78), Joe Powell; Mallik Wilks (Josh Kayode 85), Sam Nombe. Subs not used: Cameron Dawson, Liam Kelly, Jack Holmes, Jordan Hugill.
Wycombe (3-4-2-1): Will Norris; Caleb Taylor, Sonny Bradley, Joe Low (Gideon Kodua 75); Jack Grimmer, Cameron Humphreys, Xavier Simons, Luke Leahy; Josh Scowen (Garath McCleary 70), Adam Reach; Richard Kone (Sam Vokes 90+4). Subs not used: Franco Ravizzoli, Tyreeq Bakinson, James Berry, Fred Onyedinma.
Goals: Sibley 66, Clarke-Harris 90+5 (Rotherham); Kone 69, Bradley 90, Kodua 90+2 (Wycombe)
Referee: Simon Mather (Lancashire)
Attendance: 7,798 (218)