By then Rotherham were very much in contention.Andy Monkhouse volleyed a fine 50th-minute equaliser and then supplied the cross which led to Richard Barker stooping to mole-height level to score with a header. Alan Lee, Rotherham's scorer when they lost 2-1 to Wimbledon in front of an 849 crowd in the League last week, added the third with another volley from Nick Daws' free-kick.Wimbledon (4-4-2): Davis; Holloway, Gier, Leigertwood, Darlington; McAnuff, Andersen (Francis, 81), Reo-Coker, Morgan (Ainsworth, 70); Shipperley, Agyemang. Substitutes not used: Hawkins, Heald (gk), Gray.Rotherham United (4-4-2): Pollitt; Scott, Swailes, Branston, Hurst; Sedgwick (Bryan, 83), Daws, Garner, Monkhouse (Byfield, 77); Lee, Barker (Warne, 78). Substitutes not used: Talbot, Gray (gk).Referee: S Dunn (Bristol).. The Wales players, Ryan Giggs, Robbie Savage, Mark Pembridge, Andy Melville and John Hartson have all been cleared to turn out for their club sides on 17 November after Fifa reversed its decision concerning the controversial four-day rule. Because this month's international date has been designated for friendlies, Wales cannot invoke the four-day rule.A Fifa spokesman said: "Four days is the general rule but, as this is only a day for friendly internationals, it becomes 48 hours. We issued a letter to Birmingham last night to clarify the situation and to apologise for any confusion which has arisen over the issue."Hughes had thought he was within his rights to take a hard-line stance because the game is competitive and he wanted his players to meet in Cardiff on Saturday evening, the day before Giggs was due to turn out against West Ham United, Pembridge was to play at Blackburn and Savage and Melville were to meet at St Andrew's.

In addition, Hartson would also have been ruled out of Celtic's league match with Partick, which has been put back 24 hours because of his club's Uefa Cup commitments the previous week.Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, had already expressed his frustration, insisting "it wouldn't help Wales" in the long term, while Birmingham's owner David Sullivan was even more outspoken, claiming Savage would be forced to play for the Blues anyway.The Birmingham chairman David Gold said: "I'm absolutely thrilled. It is great that common sense has prevailed and it is great news for Birmingham because we know what an influence Robbie Savage has been."Let's make it clear, we want to help Wales all we can and I hope that they get to the Euro finals. But this is about there being a relationship between clubs and country, not a war. We will do all we can to assist but wanted them to show a bit of leeway as well."Savage was relieved that the conflict had reached a conclusion "I'm just delighted that it has been sorted out. From the outset it was important for me to play for Birmingham City and Wales," he said "I've just kept my mouth shut. I've been in the middle and I've left it to the authorities to sort it out."I want to help Birmingham hopefully get some more points in our bid to stay in the Premiership and I also want to play a part in helping Wales get to the European Championship finals in 2004 We've got a great chance. I can understand both parties and Mark Hughes wants to do what is best for Wales, but having to play the two games in four days will not be a problem for me."Hughes' team are top of Group Nine with maximum points after a 2-0 away win over Finland and last month's 2-1 home victory over Italy.

Azerbaijan are bottom of the group after losing their first two games.. Mick McCarthy, the man who banished Roy Keane from the World Cup, resigned yesterday as the Republic of Ireland's manager. News of the resignation swept through the Irish capital like a bushfire, making it impossible for the Football Association of Ireland to announce it at its planned meeting today. Instead it hastily arranged a news conference in a hotel, where McCarthy arrived after handing in his resignation at the FAI headquarters in Merrion Square.McCarthy had been Europe's longest-serving international coach ­ almost seven years ­ and agreed a £40,000 compensation package only a few months after signing a new two-year contract. His assistant, Ian Evans, has also left.As radio stations across the capital cleared the airways to broadcast the conference, McCarthy revealed that it was his choice to leave "It was my decision,'' he said.