Town's play-off aspirations were dealt a massive blow as they were defeated 2-1 at Rotherham. The Blues will point to two crucial refereeing decisions which saw Brian Curson deny a strong Town call for a penalty and fail to send off Millers' defender Shaun Barker for a professional foul on Martijn Reuser, Barker subsequently playing a role in both goals.

Town lined up as they had on Friday against Portsmouth. Martijn Reuser continued on the left of a four-man midfield. The Blues started the stronger but failed to really create anything too dangerous although Reuser sent in a ball which flashed across the face of goal.

Jim Magilton had the first serious opportunity of the game in the ninth minute after a foul on Pablo Couñago just outside the area by Guy Branston. Magilton curled his freekick off the post and Couñago was unable to direct the ball home as it rebounded off the post towards him at pace.

In the 26th minute Town had what appeared to be a very good claim for a penalty. Matt Holland had caught Branston in possession on the right. The Town skipper broke away into the area and was clearly pulled back by the defender. Referee Curson failed to see any infringement despite protests by Town's players, Martijn Reuser receiving a yellow card for complaining for too long.

On the half hour Marcus Bent played the ball to his left to a well-placed Martijn Reuser inside the area. The Dutchman failed to read the pass but tried to put in a cross which went for a corner. From Reuser's kick Pablo Couñago headed past Ian Gray and into the net.

Four minutes later Marcus Bent sent a looping header over the bar from a Fabian Wilnis cross. Shortly afterwards Couñago hit a 25-yarder which was too close to the keeper.

Town were creating a number of chances, Reuser went over from 30 yards after receiving a pass from Miller. At the other end former Town defender Chris Swailes headed goalwards but as Marshall claimed the ball, a flag went up for an Alan Lee offside.

Just after the break Marcus Bent came close to getting on the end of a Reuser cross from the left, the ball catching Branston on its way across. Referee Curson awarded a goalkick.

The home side were more involved in the second period but rarely threatened other than via long throws on the right from Shaun Barker. Town had been forced to defend desperately on a couple of occasions with Marcus Bent heading away strongly and Marshall claiming well a couple of times.

On 52 Rotherham should have been reduced to ten men when Martijn Reuser was played in over the top by Marcus Bent. The Dutchman was away and beyond the defence and bearing down on goal, just outside the area when Shaun Barker pulled him back. There seemed little alternative but for the defender to be shown a red card but inexplicably Mr Curson decided the offence only warranted a yellow.

It is difficult to work out quite what does constitute a red card if this incident didn't, so blatant was the offence. To add insult to injury Mr Curson refused to allow Reuser, Town's freekick specialist, to be on the field for the kick as he had received treatment from Dave Williams after the challenge.

In his absence Magilton played the ball to Holland whose kick was hit into the wall, Miller feeling he was impeded by Branston inside the area as the pair challenged for the ball.

Just before the hour Marcus Bent headed a Magilton corner just wide. Not long after Lee headed a corner from the right straight at Marshall when he ought to have done better.

The Barker-Reuser incident seemed to unsettle Town and spur on the home team, although their only real threat remained Shaun Barker's long throws.

On 64 Reuser ended a fine Town move involving Couñago, Magilton and Miller but his shot deflected off two defenders and to safety.

The Blues were in serious danger for the first time when Mark Robins seized on to a poor back header by Fabian Wilnis. From an awkward position the former Norwich striker failed to get a decent contact and sent the ball well wide.

A minute later Robins was again threatening, his turn and shot from the edge of the area brilliantly tipped over the bar by Andy Marshall. On 70 Jermaine Wright replaced Tommy Miller.

Rotherham were proving more dangerous than at any stage of the game with balls pumped, and most significantly thrown, into the box on a number of occasions. From one of Shaun Barker's throws the ball was half punched clear by Marshall to the edge of the area where Mullin looped it back in over the keeper and just under the bar.

Town had spent much of the half happy to sit back and soak up anything Rotherham threw at them. Now, with the home side back on terms, the Blues woke up for the first time since the incident where Barker, instrumental in the goal, ought to have seen red.

However, it was Rotherham who would score a second, again from a Barker throw. This time Robins stabbing home from close-range after Marshall had saved the initial effort on goal.

Referee Curson was unsurprisingly the subject of abuse from the Town support as the Blues pushed on for an equaliser. On 86 Dean Bowditch replaced Fabian Wilnis as Joe Royle threw everything into attack.

With four minutes remaining Marcus Bent failed to get a clean contact on a cross from the right and the ball ran gently to Gray in the Rotherham goal. The Blues pressed without ever looking likely to score although Couñago and Bent both had efforts saved and Holland headed too close to the keeper.

In injury time sub Darren Byfield came close to a third for the Millers after he broke away from Gaardsøe, who appeared to be injured in the latter stages. Byfield's shot from a tight angle went high and wide.

A game that Town will feel they completely threw away despite some dismal refereeing which denied first a penalty and then the sending off of Shaun Barker. The defender remaining on the field was ultimately crucial with his throws leading to both goals.

However, Town failed to turn their earlier domination into more than the one-goal lead and they seemed content to play out the second half with a lack of urgency, feeling that the one goal lead would be enough. It wasn't and Town's play-off chances are now reliant on someone else spectacularly collapsing while the Blues take six points from their games.

Photo: Action Images

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