GARY Rowett admits the decision to rule out Ryan Leonard’s strike against Birmingham was the right one – but says it would have been a “hell of a goal”.
The popular 31-year-old has shown a tendency to hit stunning long-range efforts previously and almost added to his collection at St Andrew’s yesterday.
After Kevin Nisbet’s opener from a free-kick, George Saville sent in a corner after 20 minutes for Millwall.
It flew over the heads of all the bodies in the box and fell for Leonard, stationed about 25 yards out.
He hit a stunning volley that took a flick off Jake Cooper on its way in, leaving the assistant referee to rule it out for offside.
Jay Stansfield would equalise in the second half for the Blues and the game would finish 1-1.
On the offside incident, Rowett said: “The moment where we score from the corner routine. I think he is offside – I think it’s Coops and it just glanced his head. I think he was offside so I’ve got no complaints just, when it takes that long, you feel maybe they [the officials] are not sure. But I think they were right.
“So disappointing for us because we could have been 2-0 up of course and it would have been a hell of a goal. Great strike, he strikes a lovely ball and it would’ve been a nice routine. And that maybe gave Birmingham just a tiny bit of a lift.
“You could just feel the atmosphere in the stadium go up a notch and they obviously get the penalty just before half-time and we end up saving it.
“So again, another moment it could’ve gone either way for either team.”
Leonard only managed a couple of minutes of game time in the opening three league games against Middlesbrough, Bristol City and Norwich City.
But the versatile former Southend United star has now started the last two games against Stoke City and Birmingham as Rowett moved to rejig his defence after a few disappointing results at the beginning of the season.