STAND-in Millwall boss David Tuttle admitted he was at fault for the time wasting that led to his side's 13th dismissal of the season.Although disappointed with referee Brian Curson's decision to send off defender Tony Craig for a second booking, Tuttle praised his relegation-threatened troops after winning a point against Ipswich.

By Derek Davis

STAND-in Millwall boss David Tuttle admitted he was at fault for the time wasting that led to his side's 13th dismissal of the season.

Although disappointed with referee Brian Curson's decision to send off defender Tony Craig for a second booking, Tuttle praised his relegation-threatened troops after winning a point against Ipswich. Craig been booked 15 minutes earlier for a foul when he was shown a second yellow in front of the dugouts in time added on.

But Tuttle, who had invited Kent official Steve Bennett to work with his team during the week in a bid to improve their disciplinary record after reaching 12 red cards and the threat of a £20,000 fine being imposed on them, defended Craig.

He said: “We will speak to the referee, but he obviously felt we were time wasting.

“I told Zak Whitbread to leave the ball at a throw-in and then handed it to Tony and he was then sent off for time-wasting.

“I took the ball from Zak and gave it to Tony so how it can be his fault for time-wasting and be sent off I don't know.

“We do have a bad disciplinary record and we are trying to sort it out, but it seems a lot of bad decisions like that go against us.”

While that decision went against them, the point keeps Millwall in with a chance of escaping the drop as they sit just two points behind fourth-from-bottom Sheffield Wednesday.

Tuttle said: “The results have gone for us with all the others drawing, but they were at home and we were at a very good side in Ipswich so the day goes to Millwall instead of everyone else.

“But there is no point going away from these game saying we are doing well, we have to be better than three other teams by the end of the season.”

The Lions secured the point through skipper David Livermore five minutes from time after Owen Garvan had given the Blues a fifth-minute lead and Tuttle felt they might even have sneaked a win.

He said: “Ipswich battered us for 10 minutes, but after that we coped with them very well and we deserved to get more than a point.

“It looked as if the goal might not come, but our players battled away and we got what we deserved.

“Andy Marshall made a great save which is what he is paid for. We were on top at that time and it would have unjust if we had gone two down at that point.”

Millwall were forced to lose striker Ben May to flu before the game after the striker had scored three goals in as many games with Dutchman Berry Powel a surprise replacement.