JOE Royle would be quite happy if Dermot Gallagher never officiated another Ipswich Town game away from home again.The Banbury official ignored appeals for a penalty when Blades keeper Wilko de Vogt scythed down Marcus Bent early in the game.

JOE Royle would be quite happy if Dermot Gallagher never officiated another Ipswich Town game away from home again.

The Banbury official ignored appeals for a penalty when Blades keeper Wilko de Vogt scythed down Marcus Bent early in the game. Bent, who had been given a tremendous reception by the home supporters in thanks to his prolific scoring while at Bramall Lane, was later booked by Gallagher, apparently for celebrating Town's third goal.

Gallagher was also the referee at Anfield when Town went out of the Worthington Cup after he awarded Liverpool a penalty which took the game into extra time and then penalties.

Royle spoke with the referee as the teams came out for the second half at Bramall Lane but was not given a satisfactory answer.

The Town boss said: "We should have had a blatant penalty in the first half. The same referee has now overseen our departure in two cup competitions both away from home. The ball never deviated and the keeper has taken Marcus out, it was that blatant but I had better not say any more. It doesn't matter now."

The Town boss was left shaking his head in disbelief after his side came from three down to level but scorned chances to win the game.

He said: "On chances missed, I just don't know how we lost that game. We have lost four goals but our keeper has not had a save to make otherwise. You have to credit the lads for battling back from three down, and I was scratching my head wondering how. But when we were level I thought we would go on and win it. We had our chances to win it.

"The keeper has scrambled back and saved what would have been an amazing goal from young Darren Ambrose who also missed two chances; Pablo has missed a chance. We have missed so many that it could have been double figures."

Town keeper Andy Marshall dealt with what he had to well but did not have a serious save to make and stood little chance with at least three of the goals.

Royle was not too happy with the way Town failed to clear the ball on occasions, but there was little anyone could do about Michael Brown's sublime 22-yard volley for their third goal. He also curled in the opener from 25 yards.

Royle said: "I was disappointed with the first goal Michael Brown scored but his second was a great goal. There were bad decisions by people and from our point of view all four were bad goals to give away and we have to be more diligent."

Positive substitutions perked Town up with Darren Ambrose and Darren Bent once more making an impact.

Royle said: "We changed it and the two young kids have done very well for us. We went positive with three up front and the pace of Darren Bent helped us get behind them, which we had not done enough earlier.

"It was important that we didn't lose the game 3-0 because that would have given a totally false impression. I was delighted with the way we came back but we are on the wrong end of a seven-goal game so it is head-shaking time."

It may not have been fun for the manager, but for the neutral it was Cup football at its best, thoroughly entertaining.

But Blues fans will not be happy that the referee has once again caused controversy.