GILLINGHAM'S assistant manager Richard Hill slammed referee Phil Joslin over his controversial awarding of Rotherham's match-winning third goal in last night's 3-2 defeat at Millmoor.

Player-manager Andy Hessenthaler, who had been involved in an explosive confrontation with the Newark official at the final whistle, stayed in the dressing room leaving Hill to take the referee to task. Hessenthaler could now be charged with bringing the game into disrepute and hauled before an FA disciplinary commission, depending on the contents of the referee's report.

"Temperatures in our dressing room are running high and in situations like these you have to pick and choose your words carefully," said Hill. "We certainly feel aggrieved because for the first free kick the referee put his hand in the air to signal it was indirect. He's then moved the ball forward again and he never put his hand up for the second free kick.

"But the incident is still the same, it's still an indirect free kick and he's moved it forward. The boys are saying that he said the ball hit Paul Shaw on the way in which then deems it to be a good goal. We're aggrieved and rightly so."

Defender Chris Hope, who was close to the incident, said: "The referee gave a free kick and at first he's put the ball on the edge of the penalty area. The next he's put it level with the six yard box then the referee went and had a word with one of his assistants and he's moved it back again. Even the Rotherham players were laughing.

"I know it's a difficult job but when it comes to something like that it's very important to get the positioning right. His arm was raised and the ball's gone into the back of the net without touching anyone and that's why we all went mad.

"If that goal hadn't gone we would have got a point from a 2-2 draw. I swear that ball didn't get a touch and I was in the wall. I don't think anyone in the ground saw it get a touch. But the referee told our coaching staff that it got a touch on the way in."

Hill was full of praise for the way the players applied themselves coming off the back of Saturday's 4-0 home defeat by Bradford City.

"After Saturday's performance it was 100 per cent better and we can take a lot out of it, though it doesn't give you points. I thought our forward play was excellent and we always tried to play good football. All bar first 10 minutes of the second half we were the better side."