A night to forget

Last updated : 09 August 2006 By Charlie Roper
Tony Craig
Craig: Saw red
Millwall boss Nigel Spackman was left to rue what could have been this morning after his pre-match plans for Leyton Orient were scuppered by defender Tony Craig's sending off after just four minutes.

The left-back saw red after a challenge on The O's Shane Tudor which left The Lions with an uphill battle. But Spackman and his oppositie number, Martin Ling, both thought the sending off was harsh and the club are set to appeal against the decision.

"The game hadn't even started when Tony was sent off," Spackman told the club's official site. "I'm told there wasn't any contact but if it was the correct decision I'll ring the referee to say well done but Martin Ling said he didn't think there was any contact.

"The sending off ruined our game plan - it's always difficult playing 10 against 11 especially away from home but we created as many chances as Orient tonight, we just didn't take them. But I don't like losing and the players don't like it - it was very quiet in that dressing room after the game."

And if things couldn't get any worse for The Lions, star striker Darren Byfield was stretchered off after twenty minutes with a suspected broken ankle while right back Maurice Ross tweaked his hamstring later in the game, leaving him unable to push forward.

"Darren went taken to hospital after hearing a crack in his ankle when he went down but we don't know how serious it is yet," the manager continued. "If he's out it's a massive blow, with Ben May already missing Darren is our main goal threat as we saw on Saturday. I'm sure if he'd have stayed on the pitch he'd have got a goal tonight. On top of that Maurice Ross pulled a hamstring early in the second half which meant he couldn't get forward but he played on, so we were effectively playing with nine men at times."

Despite the result Spackman still found a number of positives in the performance of the team, in particular striker Tom Brighton's eye-catching turn at left back following Craig's dismissal. "Tom did an excellent job - his energy levels and application were first class," added Spackman.