The Tigers won 3-1 at The Den on Saturday, leading 2-0 when the hosts were reduced to ten men.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and former Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd both agreed that Femi Azeez was correctly sent off for a stamp on Kyle Joseph.
Referee Gavin Ward showed the Millwall star a straight red card 14 minutes from time for an off-the-ball incident after Joseph had rushed back to make a good tackle on the 24-year-old, who scored six goals in his previous nine games before to the arrival of Sergej Jakirovic’s Tigers.
Referee Ward had continued to move forward with the play as City entered the Lions’ half before being alerted to the incident by the assistant who had noticed what had occurred.
Azeez was issued his marching orders, much to the chagrin of Millwall manager Alex Neil. The Scotsman felt Liam Millar should have been sent out for a second yellow card for kicking the ball away, and Ward cautioned him.
Both Gallagher and Bothroyd applauded the officials’ efforts and stated that, in their opinion, Azeez was rightfully removed, with cameras showing his petulant kick on goalscorer Joseph.
“In the previous few weeks, we’ve seen some really fantastic teamwork. We saw in Plymouth last week. We see here that Gavin Ward cannot see that. “We see that he’s gone up and followed the ball upfield,” Gallagher told Sky Sports.
“It is a red card offence. Someone has informed him to it, whether it is the fourth official or the assistant, but they have both got it correct.
“I agree with that, and that’s the way the game should be played with the official,” said Bothroyd. “It’s a team sport for them. They are a team; they are not operating alone. The referee has consulted with the fourth official, the linesman, or whoever it is, and they have reached the correct judgment.”
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