ISAIAH Rankin claimed today that whistle-happy referee Bill Burns cost him a place on the scoresheet on his Reebok debut.

The loan striker won the 27th minute penalty, which Per Frandsen converted.

But he'd managed to ride Ian Cox's foul and knock the ball in the net for a 'goal' he felt should have stood.

"As a striker you always want to score," Rankin argued, "and you always want to win the game.

"To come away with no goal and only one point has to be really bad luck.

"The referee was too quick making the decision. I think the goal should have stood but Per stuck the penalty away well."

Allardyce admitted that the decision caused him some anxiety: "Obviously I would have been bitterly disappointed if we had missed but Per put a great spot kick in the bottom corner."