‘The point could be huge’ – Millwall boss Rowett on 2-2 draw at Birmingham City as he disagreed with both penalty calls

Gary Rowett did not believe either penalty should have been awarded in today’s 2-2 draw at Birmingham City, but hailed Benik Afobe’s composure to tuck his spot-kick away in injury time.

The Lions salvaged a point late on when Afobe sent Neil Etheridge the wrong way after former Charlton striker Lyle Taylor had re-established the Blues lead from the spot.

Rowett said: “I didn’t think the other one [Birmingham’s] was a penalty either. I’ve seen both of them back and the amount of pulling and shoving in the box all game, it’s not easy for a referee but it’s frustrating on the side.

“Corners are coming in and people are grabbing people and nothing gets done. Lyle Taylor went down a little bit easy for the first one and Coops went down a little bit easy for the second one.

“If you are going to give one you have to give the other. None of them were penalties. At that late stage we needed a lifeline, we threw everything at it, we made too many mistakes in the game.

“We didn’t do enough of the basics well enough at this stage of the season. We were always chasing it but what we have got is fabulous desire, character and we ended up with Oliver Burke right wing-back, Tyler Burey left wing-back, three of the forwards on and Coops up top on his own.

“Maybe because of that we deserved something out of the game. Birmingham were better than us in the first half but we probably shaded it second half in terms of chances.

“Never-say-die spirit and for Benik to step up in that moment, to show that type of composure to take the penalty in that way – to wait for the keeper – takes a lot of courage and that point could be huge for us.”