Burton Albion 2 Rotherham United 0: Noble and O’Connor see red as problems mount for Evans and Millers

The Millers had two men sent off and were sunk by a brace from Billy Kee.

Manager Steve Evans questioned the dismissals which saw David Noble depart for two yellow cards in the first half before Michael O’Connor received a straight red for a challenge on Jacques Maghomalate on.

Goalkeeper Andy Warrington, however, saved Michael Symes’s resulting penalty.

“I don’t think either was a yellow card for Noble,” said Evans. “I think most people in the ground were staggered about the second when the lad had got the ball trapped between his legs and Michael O’Connor went in to try and win the ball.”

Burton, who boast the best home record in the division, climbed to third thanks to Kee, who put them ahead 10 minutes prior to the break, firing a low effort into the bottom corner. He doubled the home side’s advantage on 55 minutes with a fine finish from outside the area.

Defeat is not the only thing Rotherham have to contend with as they could be in trouble with the league after several of their fans were led away by police after throwing plastic bottles at Eddie Ilderton following O’Connor’s red card.

Evans is focusing on tomorrow night’s game with Torquay.

“We need to take the defeat on the chin and get back to work on Monday. We’ve now got to regroup, watch the DVD, dust ourselves down and get on that coach to Torquay.”

Burton Albion: Tomlinson, O’Connor, Stanton, Holness, Webster, MacDonald (Dyer 72), Bell, Weir, Maghoma (McGrath 90), Kee (Paterson 79), Symes. Unused substitutes: Lyness, Corbett, Phillips, Drury.

Rotherham United: Warrington, Bradley, Mullins, Arnason, Ridehalgh, Pringle (Frecklington 46), O’Connor, Noble, Nardiello (Revell 72), Odejayi, Slew (Kearns 46). Unused substitutes: Thompson, Davis, Agard, Cameron.

Referee: E Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).

Man of the match: Billy Kee.