3-0 - to the referee: City 0-3 Sheff. Utd

I don't mind getting beaten. Well actually I do, but what I mean is, I don't mind getting beaten if the other team are better than you.

But when they're patently not, and the referee radically influences a game through incompetence and inconsistency, it's hard to take.

Today, Paul Taylor (pictured) first dismissed Gabor Gyepes for a foul that led to a penalty, when it appeared to everyone but him (and the Sheffield contingent obviously) that he'd won the ball. 1-0 after the penalty and City down to 10 men.

Worse, 9 minutes later he issued his second straight red of the game to Ross McCormack after he and a United player went for a ball, McCormack apeared to win the ball and the United player went down poleaxed - only to get up again once the card had been issued. It appears it might have been for an elbow, but I'm not convinced.

That effectively ended the game as a contest, as Dave Jones sacrificed first Michael Chopra and then Chris Burke to shore up the defence and midfield and the only surprise thereafter was that City managed to play so well 9 v 11, and that Sheffield only managed to add 2 more goals.

Taylor's poor game continued as he constantly failed to penalise Sheffield players for persitent infringements against City players until very late in the game. His linesman were equally culpable missing pushes, tackles and offsides. Maybe it was the sun. One of the linesmen wore a cap throughout, and frankly looked like an idiot.

Referees like him spoil the game for everyone, and I only hope we never see Mr Taylor and his team at City again - ever.

The BBC website says "Cardiff were well beaten" by Sheffield, but when your'e playing with 9 men for more than half the match, that's hardly a surprise is it?

In the greater context, we're still in the playoff spots and have at least 1 and up to 2 games in hand over the rest of the top 5, but things are undoubtedly getting tesne, and we could well do without Gyepes and McCormack missing the next 3 games through suspension. Whether City will appeal either remains to be seen.