Although ten points from 15 is promotion form, events at Home Park once again raised the question of both the standard and consistency of the officials in division two.

On Bank Holiday Monday, even though Luton were poor, there was a definite case that, when it came to some of referee Phil Crossley's decisions, the Albion clearly had the rub of the green, but what comes around goes around because five days later the boot was clearly on the other foot.

There is no doubt that Saturday's match referee Mick Fletcher should have sent Plymouth skipper Paul Wooton off for the near rugby tackle on Darius Henderson.

I'm not looking at this through blue and white tinted specs, but down to ten men with 14 minutes left and losing 3-1, I doubt that the Pilgrims could have staged the comeback they did.

At the time, watching Fletcher's body language from the stand, I thought he was going to send him off. Maybe the crowd or the occasion got to him because he certainly bottled it and ultimately that cost the Albion the full three points.

It won't be the last time the actions of an official change the outcome of a game and this whole debate has been going for years.

I don't think it will ever change, but then again would anyone want it to? How boring would it be if the refs were all perfect?

It is probably one of the reasons that makes it such an exciting and thrilling experience but, while it is a well worn clich that these incidents even themselves out over the course of a season, it certainly didn't provide me with much comfort travelling home from Plymouth.

I have never made any secret of the fact that I was extremely disappointed and felt a tad let down when then Albion boss Brian Horton left the club to manage Port Vale in early 1999.

Not just because he was one of my boyhood idols but more the fact that I was just beginning to feel that Albion, after the Archer/Stanley/Bellotti debacle and the loss of the Goldstone, were beginning to move in the right direction.

It wasn't until after I had sounded off at Horton in this newspaper and on BBC SCR that, after a time for reflection,I realised that all Brian Horton had done was put his family before the Albion. I would also put my family before anything else, including the club I've supported for more than 30 years.

Therefore I am now genuinely pleased that Brian has won the division two manager of the month award, because I think he really has earnt it.

He has had to stand by and watch the Albion win back to back championships and I'll wager he's lost count of the amount of people who asked him in light of the Albion's success did he regret ever leaving Sussex?

On top of that his own club has embroiled in a bitter civil war, probably only a marginally better situation than the Albion saga by the fact that they still have Vale Park.

This time last season his side lost the first four games and there must have been the usual whispers in and around the Potteries as to how long he had left in the job, but as the Albion faithful know from his playing days he's a fighter and this was certainly one battle he fought and won.

I won't go as far as to say I want Vale to finish above the Albion, some things never change, but I honestly do wish him well and congratulate him on his award.