Canning sympathetic to referee after late melee mars win over Ross County
Hamilton manager Martin Canning felt sympathy for rookie referee Gavin Duncan after ugly scenes marred the thrilling 3-2 home win over Ross County.
A dramatic final six minutes at the SuperSeal Stadium saw three goals and two red cards, and referee Duncan - in his first Ladbrokes Premiership match - was joined by the linesmen and stewards on the pitch as they looked to pull players apart.
Players from both teams charged over after a tussle between County's Kenny van der Weg and Accies' Ioannis Skondras and several traded blows. Skondras was shown a straight red card minutes after County's Michael Gardyne walked for a second bookable offence.
Canning said: `I don't think it was his (the referee's) best game, and I don't like to criticise referees.
`It is a difficult job and they get one time to see things and it is a hard, hard job they have to go and do. They will have bad days, just like managers will make decisions where we can be right and we can be wrong.
`You can see with that confrontation at the end how much this match meant to both teams. They both understood the importance of the game.
`It looks like handbags and it's one of these things in football when two players square up it seems to be everybody else from both teams wants to get involved and protect their own player.
`And that is part of the game. It should not be part of the game, but it is.
`Throughout the course of the game the guy (Van der Weg) was giving him (Skondras) a bit of stick and they were giving it back and forward. Obviously at the end of the game they came together and I think Van der Weg comes from nowhere... and just pushes Skondras out the road and he has taken exception to it.
`Then everyone gets involved in it, and it just becomes a mess.
`I think he (Van der Weg) was lucky to stay on the pitch. I don't know why he gets involved.
`Ioannis and the other player were just going to part ways... and Ioannis was the one who got sent off. He comes across as a competitive and combative wee guy, but he is actually a lovely wee guy when you get to know him.'
Jamie Lindsay's 89th-minute own goal handed Hamilton three points. Dougie Imrie and Georgios Sarris had both given Accies the lead, with County levelling twice through Craig Curran and Van der Weg.
Ross County manager Owen Coyle was frustrated at the referee and the result as his side racked up six games in a row without a win.
He said: `To leave with no points... that is probably one of the biggest travesties ever in my career.
`I am always loath to be critical of officials because they have such a tough job, but my goodness some of the key decisions... wow.
`I could say a lot more, but I am trying to keep my temper in check. Some of the stuff that went on was there for everyone to see.
`In my opinion, I just thought some of the stuff which went against us was incredible.
`I do have to say for me there is no place for that. At the end of the day, it is an emotional game. There is certainly no place in the game for that and I have told them that, quite clearly.'