Weston 'lost balance' - Spillane

Michael Spillane claims Gills striker Curtis Weston admitted he simply “lost his balance” in the controversial incident which almost proved so costly for City on Saturday.

With just over half an hour gone, Weston latched on to a lovely flick-on by Simeon Jackson and headed into the City penalty area. Jon Otsemobor was to his left and Spillane to his right, but neither player came within touching distance of the Gills man, who had only on-loan keeper Fraser Forster to beat.

Weston appeared to push the ball past Forster and then, as he jumped, allowed his left leg to trail and clip the 'keeper before taking a tumble. The ball, meanwhile, was going away from goal, suggesting with Forster had got a touch or Weston had lost control.

The initial reaction from some parts of the ground was that Weston was about to be booked for diving, but referee Paul Taylor instead showed Forster a straight red.

“I don't think it was a red card - I know it wasn't a red card,” said Spillane. “I was right there and he didn't touch him.

“I thought he (the referee) was coming over to book the player for diving and he's even got up and said, 'I lost my balance'.

“That's what he said, and I've seen he hasn't touched him.

“I'm not sure he (Weston) thought he was going to get booked, he just said he lost his balance. He didn't say he dived, he just said he lost his balance. Whatever he did they got a penalty either way and obviously we're annoyed because penalty decisions seem to be going against us lately.

“It was hard in the end but we managed to come through.

“It was exciting in the end and obviously we got the equaliser. It took a lot, it wasn't an easy game in the end, but you can say we made it hard for ourselves.

“We went in at half-time and the gaffer just told us, 'we're not changing the way we're playing', because we were battering them to be fair. He's said, 'we're not changing, you grind out a result' - and in the end we did.

“It's two weeks in a row now so it's good for us. It would have been better if it had been a winner, but we'll take that - it was really good.

“I thought if we got an early goal the way we were playing it could have been a rout, that's the way it is for us at the moment.

“Maybe last year if that had happened we could have got beaten three or four nil, but the spirit in the camp has made us come back from having 10 men to get a draw in the last minute.

“We are confident as a squad and as a team we can beat nearly every team in this division. The lads all get on together and we have a laugh, but when we train we train properly.”

Spillane saw fellow Academy product Declan Rudd come on for his first senior appearance.

“I think he was superb today,” he said. “It was a difficult game to come into, down to 10 men, and I think he pulled off some magnificent saves - we know it's in him because he does it in training.”