McCarthy's men abroad

As debuts go it really couldn't have got much worse for Stephen McPhail on Saturday

As debuts go it really couldn't have got much worse for Stephen McPhail on Saturday. Having joined Millwall on loan from Leeds last week, in an attempt to get some regular first team football, he now faces a three-match ban after being sent off, 10 minutes from time, for a "two-footed" tackle on Sheffield Wednesday's David Burrows. By then Millwall were already 2-0 down (they pulled a goal back soon after) and ended up dropping three points they really could have done with in their attempts to win a promotion play-off place.

A day to consign to the dustbin, too, for young Jonathan Daly, who won the FAI Youth player of the year award last month. Daly scored for Stockport County on Saturday, but it could hardly even be ranked as a consolation - they lost 3-1 to Wimbledon (for whom David Connolly scored twice) and, consequently, became the first English club to be relegated this season.

Rotherham are hoping to avoid joining Stockport in the Second Division (they're only five points clear of the relegation zone), but with a minute to go in their home game against Bradford on Saturday they were a goal down and things were looking grim. But, then they won a penalty. Problem? Their regular penalty taker had been substituted, so the privilege of taking it fell to Blackrock College old boy Alan Lee. He scored and Rotherham nicked themselves a point. Brave lad.