GARY Rowett was left frustrated by the way that Hull City manhandled Jake Cooper during their 0-0 draw at The Den.
The Lions were presented with a number of opportunities to score from set pieces, something which they’ve done more than any other team in the Championship so far this season, but were unable to provide consistent deliveries onto the head of the 27-year-old centre-back.
When the deliveries were accurate, the Tigers opted to throw Cooper to the ground, often dragging him down before the hosts were able to execute a threatening set-piece routine.
Referee John Busby ended up turning a blind eye to the incidents, infuriating Rowett as a result.
“I’m bored saying it, I said about it to the fourth official. The fourth official said the referee is aware of it. I don’t know how aware of it you need to be.
“Look, the opposition are going to do whatever they are going to do to stop our main man at set-pieces. To have both arms around Coops – literally – from the time he steps up to take the free-kick and the time he is about to head it, for me at some point you have to punish that.
“If we’ve done the same it should equally be punishable. There was one late on where Coops grabs the lad’s shirt in the box and you can have the same argument.
“I ask the referees and officials all the time and they say: ‘Oh, they are both doing it’. So Coops, trying to score, is allegedly trying to hold the lad at the same time that he’s jumping which seems a little bit stupid and strange to me.
“I can’t blame the officials today for us not winning the game. We need to show more quality.
“But that is three games now where teams have literally nullified Coops on set-pieces by fouling him every time. You need an official who is a little bit braver and has a bit more common sense to give a decision.”
Photo: Millwall FC