Steve Evans was forced to watch from the stands on Saturday after a run-in with a referee last season – but he was impressed with the man in charge at Doncaster.

It was the first game of a four-match ban for the Gillingham manager, and while he has got into trouble on a few occasions for his criticism of referees, man in the middle John

Busby didn’t do a lot wrong, he said.

“The referee was good. I had a brief conversation with him and that should be on record!” Evans joked.

“John was good for both teams. He let the game flow and apart from a caution for Barry (Fuller, for dissent), which I thought was needless – he didn’t have to do that – he has set a good standard for League 1 this year.

“I know they are working really hard and if that is the level we will be happy on that basis.”

Evans had originally been hit with a one-game ban after confronting a referee while at former club Peterborough, but the FA felt the ban was too lenient and appealed their own decision, slapping on another three games.

The Gills boss won’t be afraid to speak his mind, however.

He said: “I say it as it is.

“If you are born and brought up in the Gorbals (in Glasgow) you say it how it is and if you tell porky pies they cut your tongue out!”

Because of the ban, Evans watched the game alongside chairman Paul Scally in the main stand but it meant he missed the Doncaster goal, scored late in the first half.

He was in the lift on the way to the dressing room.

“I heard the roar so I knew,” he said, as Doncaster equalised.

The Gills were hanging on at the end of the match and he stayed until the final whistle.

• Report: Doncaster 1 Gillingham 1
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He said: “It got near to the end of the game and I said to the chairman I was going to go but he said, ‘yeah, but this could be a goal’. He made me sit there and it was right to sit there. If you tempt fate it happens.

“The chairman was pleased, particularly with the first 44-45 minutes, and is particularly pleased we have our first goal and point of the season.

“A lot of people around the country will say that’s a good result for Gillingham.”

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