Town increased their unbeaten League record to eight games with a victory over West Bromwich Albion in a match largely dominated by refereeing.
Town lined up as many expected, with Richard Naylor reinstated to the line-up after his fine performance as sub against Southampton. Fabian Wilnis dropped to the bench with Mickey Stockwell taking over at right-back and James Scowcroft moving to midfield.
Town started brightly and could have scored earlier than David Johnson's sixth minute strike. James Scowcroft nodded a ball into the box and Johnson put it past Miller with the ball rebounding off the striker as the 'keeper attempted to save.
It was a fairly typical Town game with most of the possession Town's and Albion with little to offer. Town's lead increased after 27 minutes when James Scowcroft hammered home from close range after a scramble. Alan Miller had flapped at a cross under pressure from the excellent Naylor and the loose ball eventually fell to the number ten. Scowcroft had only a few minutes earlier hit the bar with a header and the scoreline was nothing more than Town deserved.
The game was virtually up for the Throstles (as they used to be known) when their Icelandic international Larus Sigardsson got himself sent off. A ball was threaded through the Albion defence in front of David Johnson and he was clearly impeded by the defender.
There was a possible argument that this was a red card in itself, however the West Brom player made sure of first use of the shower gel by exchanging opinions with David Johnson, clearly striking the Town player in the face. Referee Crick, who had already made himself unpopular with Town fans for turning down a pretty good Johnson penalty appeal, showed Sigardsson first a yellow and then a red card.
Johnson was then booked for his part in the fracas which at one stage had quite a number of players involved, although most were trying to prevent colleagues getting too heated. That is Johnson's fifth booking of the season and he now misses one match, probably the first game of the new millennium against Port Vale.
After 32 minutes Johnson limped off with an ankle injury sustained earlier in the penalty incident. Surprisingly it was Neil Midgley who entered the fray and not Jonas Axeldal. The young striker was making a long overdue Town debut after his successful loan spell at Luton. The first half ended with Town on a very comfortable position.
The second half was almost immediately engulfed in controversy with a second West Brom sending off. Richard Naylor was set through and running one on one with the keeper when Matt Carbon tripped him from behind. There was little doubt that it was a professional foul and the shower gel got another early outing.
After this Town continued to dominate, but seemed to lack the will to add to their total. West Brom even had the temerity to put a few moves together and Lee Hughes came close to scoring but was denied by a surprisingly still awake Richard Wright.
Hughes was making a bit of a nuisance of himself and appeared to be trying to become the third West Brom player sent off. An appalling foul on John McGreal should have seen a red card and a couple of other players were on the wrong end of very wild Hughes challenges. Eventually the referee saw sense and booked him. He was substituted seconds later which gave the Town fans a great deal of satisfaction.
Town added a third when debutant Neil Midgley rose and neatly headed home. It was a well deserved goal after an excellent first game.
The refereeing controversy continued with a series of penalty appeals from Town all denied. Two of which looked as clear as possible. Midgley was floored when passing Gabbidon and Scowcroft was similarly hauled down by the same player a few minutes later. Another penalty appeal later on was not quite so clear-cut.
Town had now drifted into complacency with the game won and conceded a late goal through Fabian De Freitas.
An important win then in strange circumstances. It seems we may not have heard the last of this game with reports that two players were arrested after the game for fighting in the tunnel. No further details are available as yet.
R Wright 8 One excellent save
Stockwell 7 Did well (J Wright 59)
McGreal 7 Handled Hughes well
Mowbray 7 Rarely beaten
Brown 6 Poor distribution
Holland 8 Usual game from Matty
Magilton 7 Some good passing
Scowcroft 9 Another stonker from Scowy
Johnson 8 Scored, caused sending off, got injured (Midgley 32, 8 Good debut)
Naylor 9 Typical Psycho performance. Cool. (Axeldal 84)