Managers see red at Stadium of Light

Referee Ray Oliver angered both Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy and Wigan counterpart Paul Jewell last night by reducing both sides to 10 men in the 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland defender Julio Arca and Wigan substitute Jason de Vos were given their marching orders during the First Division encounter.

McCarthy intends to appeal over Arca’s second sending off of the season and Wigan boss Paul Jewell dubbed Oliver “Stevie Wonder” for sending off Canadian international De Vos when he meant to red card Ian Breckin.

Arca, booked in the eighth minute for reacting to a challenge from Andy Liddell, was adjudged to have dived when tackled by Jimmy Bullard just before the interval.

Oliver also showed the red card to De Vos, who had put the Latics into a deserved 70th-minute lead with a mishit shot, for protesting over the penalty which led to the equaliser.

The spot-kick was awarded when Sunderland substitute Tommy Smith was brought down by Ian Breckin after 82 minutes. On-loan Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing converted.

McCarthy said: “It was never a sending off. I have seen the video and I have asked the referee to have a look at it.

“If the decision is not rescinded then there is something seriously, seriously wrong in this game of football.

“The referee has made his decision and we have to live with it. The ref said Julio looked for the foul. The lad only took both of his legs but I am not going to say any more as I will only be in trouble and we are skint.

“But there again he has sent the wrong lad off for them and it is a shame it has come to this. It was a good scrap, they made it hard for us and who knows what would have happened if both teams had had 11 players in the second half.”

Jewell thought only a case of mistaken identity could explain De Vos’ sending off.

He said: “We are all bemused when refs don’t get it right these days. I always thought he would even it out at some stage.

“But you had better ask Stevie Wonder – after all one player (De Vos) is six inches taller than the other (Breckin). I think there is a fair chance we will appeal.

“But that is not the reason we didn’t win on the night.”

Rotherham manager Ronnie Moore hailed his side’s “magnificent” performance as the Millers moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-0 home win over Coventry.

Victory built on the weekend win over another struggling side, Walsall, and was ideal preparation for three more crucial games against relegation-threatened Wimbledon, Derby and Bradford.

The home side had a two-goal lead by half-time thanks to strikes from the impressive Darren Byfield, who hit his seventh goal of the season, and a header from young defender Shaun Barker.

“It was a magnificent performance,” beamed a relieved Moore. “That’s four goals for, and none against in the last two games.

“If we can win our home games, we will do well in this division. It’s nice to go get out of the bottom three. I don’t think we are a bottom three side. There are worse teams than us at that level. We need to look above us now, instead of behind.”

Coventry player-boss Gary McAllister had called for his side to end their run of six successive draws, but left Millmoor with nothing rather than the three points he had hoped for.

The Scot said: “We have got to lift the players now. We have got to pull together. We don’t want people curling up in the corner. We have got to get going again.”