TEL UNSYMPATHETIC OVER TIATTO CONTROVERSY

Blues boss Joe Royle refused to comment on the match afterwards, claiming he was sick of the "vultures" in the press box, but he was left fuming by referee Alan Wiley`s decision to rule out a splendid effort from the Australian international.

Terry Venables, predictably, had little sympathy for City, as his side took a point from a crucial game at the wrong end of the table. Boro`s head coach instead criticised the rule itself.

Tiatto ran through the Boro defence to beat Mark Schwarzer but Darren Huckerby was clearly off-side in the centre of goal, and City`s celebrations proved short-lived.

"We have had bad decisions and I am told I have to accept them," said Venables. "You just have to accept them, don`t you?

"Schwarzer had the ball knocked out of his hands and we lost two points the other day, because of that.

"I just don`t like the rule and never have done. The problem is with off-side and areas where you are not off-side. If Tiatto plays it across goal, is that off-side or not? There is a no-win situation with it.

"Active zones and nonsense like that get the referees in more trouble by forcing him to make decisions like that.

"Referees have a hard enough job but that makes it even more difficult."

Boro`s Keith O`Neill was sent off in the second half, and the game sometimes threatened to boil over, although Wiley controlled matters well.