AFTER receiving his marching orders for the first time in his domestic career, Robbie Savage reacted by pointing the finger at the Middlesbrough players and George Boateng in particular.

The Rovers midfielder, somewhat surprisingly, had escaped the ultimate on-field punishment during a 12-year professional career that took in Crewe Alexandra, Leicester City and Birmingham City before his £3m move to Ewood Park in January 2005.

He admitted he wouldn't mind being red-carded for 'nailing' someone, but his run of luck ended in the 54th minute on Saturday when he received an innocuous second yellow card for deliberate hand ball.

The first caution was for a lunge at Boateng two minutes earlier when Savage got the ball with one foot but his opponent with the other

"There was no hesitation whatsoever as he gave me a red card," said Savage, who broke down in tears when he was dismissed for the first time playing for Wales against Northern Ireland in September 2004.

"To be fair the Middlesbrough players did me no favours, running up to the ref.

"The first yellow was my first tackle in the game which I'd mis-timed - but I didn't even mis-time that one because I won it (the ball).

"Two minutes later I'm in the middle of the park and Boateng has pinged it from five yards and when you are closing someone down your arms are at your side.

"As you turn, your arms flail out and it hit me on the arm. But the ball was going nowhere - it was probably going out of play.

"I respect George Boateng - he's a good player but I don't think he helped me on either occasion.

"He likes a tackle and to be fair he wins a lot of them - just like I won that one.

"The second one he chased the referee down and told him I should go off and the ref had no hesitation in sending me off."

Despite blaming born-again Christian Boateng for helping getting him sent-off, Savage believes that is the nature of the game today.

The 31-year-old even admitted he's been guilty of doing exactly the same to get a fellow professional dismissed.

"I'll hold my hands up - I've done the same in the past. I'm not going to stand here and say that I'm a saint - because I'm not," said Savage, who was released by Manchester United as a 19-year-old.

"But the referee surely should see that I'm 50 yards from my goal, he's pinged it from five yards and the ball is going out of play as it hit me on the arm.

"Surely George has got to know that and the ref has to see it but I can't believe how quickly he got the yellow card out.

"That's twice in my career I've been sent off for very innocuous things. If I'd have nailed someone or hurt someone then I'd hold my hands up but it's a red card at the end of the day."