West Ham boss Glenn Roeder insisted his side should have taken something from their match with Arsenal, despite the early dismissal of Steve Lomas.

Hammers eventually went down 3-1, but recovered from the 12th-minute double blow of Lomas's red card and Thierry Henry's successful penalty to hold the league leaders until the closing stages.

But while there was no complaint over the sending off, Roeder was furious that the crucial second goal was allowed to stand despite an apparent elbow from Dennis Bergkamp in the build-up to Henry's header.

"I think everyone in the ground saw it apart from the person who mattered," he fumed. "For the second goal, Bergkamp clearly put his hand in Lee Bowyer's face and pushed him away.

"That second goal was crucial as far as we were concerned.

"Lee didn't need to say anything -- he was very disappointed with it. This is the second occasion I've been to speak with a referee this season and my gut feeling is that he knows he got it wrong.

"We have come here and done really well -- we would have been quite happy to have the free-kick we should have had. Instead the goal changed the game before they got their third."

Roeder insisted that he will not be appealing against the red card and will accept the ban which rules Lomas out of at least the home match with Liverpool on February 2.

Published Monday, January 20, 2003

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