BLACKBURN ROVERS boss Graeme Souness launched a scathing attack on referee Alan Wiley last night after Rovers' Premiership showdown with Manchester United ended in controversy.

For the second time in four days, Rovers were forced to watch precious Premiership points slip through their fingers as David Beckham was allowed to curl home a hotly-disputed equaliser after Craig Short was thought to be still on the pitch after being sent off.

Wiley's decision to let the goal stand infuriated Souness, coming just days after Rovers had a perfectly legitimate equaliser of their own ruled out in the final seconds of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Derby.

Rovers were today studying video evidence to see if Short had left the field of play after initial replays proved inconclusive.

It took the gloss off an otherwise impressive performance as the Premiership new-boys proved more than a match for Sir Alex Ferguson's champions.

"We've only been back in the Premier League for two games now but I feel badly let down by the officials in both matches," blasted Souness.

"The whole of the first half the referee had been telling the players to wait until he blew his whistle before they could take free kicks but then for some reason he let David take that one and he slotted it in.

"If only officials could be more consistent, which is a point I think David Seaman made when something similar happened to Arsenal the other night.

"We are no better off despite all this talk of professional referees -- not in my book anyway.

"Referees should be more accountable but I'm only the manager of a football club so what power do I have?"

Wiley had originally blown for a foul after Short caught Dwight Yorke, resulting in the Rovers defender being red-carded for his second bookable offence.

But as Short was making his way towards the touchline, the quick-witted Beckham spotted keeper Brad Friedel off his line organising a wall, so he promptly stepped up to float a free kick into the unguarded net to earn United a point.

"We probably would have settled for a point before the game but to concede the second goal in the way we did is never nice," said Souness.

"Overall, though, I don't think we can have too many complaints.

"I thought Man United played some very controlled football in the first half because they're a top team and for us to take a point from them was a great result for us.

"But it still sticks in the throat the manner in which it happened."

Meanwhile, Short today called for a shake-up of the rules as he faces up to the prospect of a one game ban.

The former Everton defender was furious at being booked for dissent in protest at the decision to rule out what looked like a perfectly legitimate goal from Ciccio Grabbi at the start of the second half.

"These new rules that are coming in are ruining the game," said Short.

"I was in the wrong for having a go at the linesman but there was no need for him to flag at all.

"I could see from where I was that Ciccio hadn't fouled Barthez and the referee should have seen it as well."

"We're trying to take the game seriously and results are hinging on incidents like that.

"I had no complaints with my second booking because I did catch him.

"You could maybe get away with a couple of years ago but it's just the way the game is going now.

"It's so fast these days and there's so many fraction of a second decisions to make and getting booked for them is ridiculous so it's something they've got to look at.

"I've been playing the game for 15 years and all of a sudden they are changing the rules and I don't know why.

"What was the matter with the game before?"

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