IT'S safe to assume referee Mark Halsey will not be receiving a Christmas card from Mark Hughes this year.

Two months ago, the Bolton official, who enjoys doling out cards himself, drew Hughes' ire when he sent off Zurab Khizanishvili for what he wrongly deemed to be a professional foul in Blackburn Rovers' game with Liverpool at Anfield.

That decision, after 32 minutes, not only wrecked what had threatened to be a decent contest, it also effectively robbed Rovers of a point - possibly even three - as they finally succumbed to a late goal from Djibril Cisse.

Imagine then what must have gone through Hughes' mind as he saw history repeat itself on Saturday, this time against Everton, Liverpool's neighbours from the blue half of Merseyside?

Hughes was left apoplectic when this thoroughly absorbing encounter was tilted on its axis by another controversial decision from Mr Halsey, who must now be about as welcome in Blackburn as a deadly dose of bird flu.

Everton had just taken the lead with a goal out of nothing when Mr Halsey made another untimely intervention, this time reaching for his top pocket to dismiss Rovers' defensive lynchpin, Andy Todd.

The problems had started when Tugay lost possession near the centre circle, the ball squirting free to James Beattie, who set off galloping towards goal.

As Todd came over to clear the danger, Beattie tried to flick the ball past the Rovers skipper but it struck his hand, prompting Mark Warren, the assistant on the old Riverside, to start waving his flag frantically.

A deafly silence fell over Ewood as Halsey ran over to consult his assistant and, after a brief deliberation, he delivered his verdict - a straight red!

Hughes looked fit to explode with rage in his technical area, whilst Michael Gray and the normally mild-mannered Brad Friedel both harangued the two officials, pleading Todd's innocence.

None of it mattered, though, as Todd trudged off towards the tunnel, bearing the look of a condemned man.

As television replays proved inconclusive, only the player himself truly knows whether he did it deliberately or not, but Hughes was in no doubt that Rovers were again the victims of an injustice at the hands of Mr Halsey.

"I thought it was harsh," said Hughes, his voice quivering with pent-up anger.

"Yes, there was possibly contact, but I don't think there was any intent.

"James Beattie went through, he got a good touch on the ball when he actually flicked it into Andy's body, Andy tried to readjust his position to get in line with the flight of the ball and it clipped his arm.

"You can't tell me that was with any intent and that's another sending off very early within a game where Mr Halsey is involved.

"So he's not the most popular guy around here at the moment."

When Halsey dismissed Khizanishvili earlier in the season, Rovers successfully appealed against that decision and the red card was subsequently rescinded.

They may well try to take a similar course of action in this instance but, even if Todd's card were to get overturned, that would be of scant consolation to Hughes, who was more concerned about the loss of three more Premiership points at a time in the season when he's looking for Rovers to kick on.

In fairness to Halsey, it's the law, as much as the standard of his own decision making, which is flawed in this case.

Fans are shelling out big money to watch Premiership football these days and they'd rather see a true contest between two teams of eleven than one ruined by a sending off after half an hour.

Should a handling offence, 35 yards from goal, therefore really warrant a sending off or would it make more sense to introduce a sin-bin for such offences, particularly in cases like this where there's an element of doubt regarding the player's guilt?

There's no doubt Todd's dismissal changed the course of this game, but Rovers also contributed to their own downfall through sloppy defending for both of Everton's goals.

It had all started so positively for Rovers, who played some spellbinding football in the opening 20 minutes that had the Toffees scurrying for cover.

Hughes had picked a side brimming with attacking possibilities as Tugay, David Thompson and Morten Gamst Pedersen all started in midfield, while David Bentley, the hero of last week's dramatic Carling Cup win at Charlton, played in the hole behind the jet-heeled Craig Bellamy.

Had Pedersen polished off an easy chance inside the opening three minutes, the outcome might have been so different but he fired wide from six yards following a sweeping move involving Bentley, Thompson and Steven Reid.

The Norwegian then struck a post seven minutes later after more great work from Bellamy, whose blistering pace scared the living daylights out of the Everton defence.

It was exhilarating stuff from Rovers and visiting manager David Moyes became so concerned by the ease with which his side was being carved open that he was forced into a tactical reshuffle.

Then, completely against the run of play, Everton created a goal out of nothing in the 28th minute.

Phil Neville launched a long punt forward, Andy Van der Meyde won an aerial duel with Ryan Nelsen, and the Rovers defence was caught horribly square as James McFadden darted in to beat Michael Gray to a header, the ball floating past Friedel, who had strayed into no man's land.

If that was a hammer blow then worse was to come a minute later as Todd received his marching orders.

The points were effectively sealed on the stroke of half-time when more hesitant defending from Rovers enabled Leon Osman to tee-up Mikel Arteta, who curled an exquisite effort past Friedel from the edge of the box.

Rovers commendably refused to give up the ghost in the second half and Pedersen should have handed them a lifeline in the 47th minute but headed wide from Lucas Neill's cross.

Bellamy, Bentley and Tugay also went close but, by then, the damage had been done.