Referees and big, hostile crowds ... Rotherham United boss Steve Evans writes for the Advertiser

I used to be manager of Leeds United and I'd go away from Elland Road some weeks thinking: ‘How have we been given that penalty?’

I knew the answer: because of the Leeds fans.

We fell foul of something similar last Saturday when we travelled to League One leaders Birmingham City and were looking good for a point as the match entered its closing stages.

Then 25,000 home supporters screamed for a spot-kick that should never have been awarded and we found ourselves 2-1 down.

Not for one second am I questioning the integrity of referee Farai Hallam. I am sure he is an honest and decent man.

But there was a reason why I was hoping for an experienced official in the West Midlands, not one in his first full year on the EFL list.

St Andrew's with 25,000 fans in it is a partisan place and it's human nature to be affected by a mass appeal if you've not been in a volatile environment like that before.

In the last ten minutes, we threw caution to the wind, bringing on Jack Holmes and Jordan Hugill and throwing big Sean Raggett up front.

It didn't get us the goal we needed but at least we had a right go against the best team in the division, one that has been built on multi-million-pound expenditure.

At 1-1, they'd run out of ideas. They'd changed their shape and it wasn't making any difference. They couldn't get through us.

I will feel the pain of that penalty verdict for a long, long time. It stopped our really good, disciplined performance getting the reward it deserved.

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AN hour's training and then he goes and does that for us!

I'm talking, of course, about our new signing, Dan Gore, who'd been on the pitch for only 17 minutes at Birmingham when he set up a goal for Sam Nombe.

Not bad for a 20-year-old prospect with only three previous senior appearances to his name.

Young Dan has been schooled at Manchester United and you can tell. The boy can play. He can also run and put himself about. He's certainly no shrinking violet on the pitch.

He'd joined us on loan from Old Trafford on the eve of the Blues game and had looked good in our Friday-morning session at Roundwood, but we just felt that he needed to get to know the boys more before putting him into the starting 11.

When Mallik Wilks came off injured in the 27th minute at St Andrew's, it was a stage for Dan to go on and show what he can do.

I think he did well. He's a really good addition for us. He got tired towards the end, which is to be expected, but he'd made his mark by then in an excellent team performance.

Birmingham will win the league but they went away feeling very fortunate to take all three points. We went away extremely disappointed not to have at least drawn.

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I SEE I've been nominated for the Sky Bet League One Manager of the Month award for January.

I guess it's a sign of progress after fearing the sack in November! However, making the four-man shortlist isn't down to me, it's down the the fantastic people we have at this great club. Any recognition should go to them.

I lead the football operation but I couldn't do it without the huge support I receive from the players, my backroom staff and all the other staff at Rotherham United.

From the chairman downwards, we're one big team here.