Motherwell boss unhappy with referee after Steelmen see three red cards at St Johnstone
Motherwell plan to appeal against two of the three red cards shown to their players in Saturday's 4-1 loss at St Johnstone.
Motherwell plan to appeal against two of the three red cards shown to their players in Saturday's 4-1 loss at St Johnstone.
Goalkeeper Trevor Carson was first to go, on 63 minutes, for handling the ball outside his penalty area, with skipper Carl McHugh following suit 14 minutes from time and Charles Dunne the third man sent off in the final minute for downing substitute Graham Cummins.
Well manager Steve Robinson felt both Carson and Dunne were hard done by, but acknowledged McHugh may have deserved his two yellow cards.
“At this stage it is very likely we will appeal them,” he said. “The first red card was obviously the turn point. The decision absolutely kills it.
“The decision completely changes the game. At 2-1 I thought we were completely dominating the game.
“I thought the ball was on the line for the first and from video footage Dunne didn't touch him.
“I don't know whether it was dangerous or not by Carl if he goes to ground. The referee might have a point on that one but as for the rest of them...”
The Northern Irishman received a stern talking-to from referee Craig Thomson after the second sending-off.
“When you are playing that well and dominating the game, the decision is going to affect everything you do so of course there's going to be frustration,'' Robinson said. He just told me to calm down.
“And it was handball by Murray Davidson before their first goal. He punches it but gets the free-kick. I can't control that decision-making.”
St Johnstone bounced back from a Betfred Cup defeat from Partick Thistle to top the table with six points from their opening two matches.
On-loan Rangers player Michael O'Halloran scored twice and had a penalty saved by stand-in keeper Russell Griffiths.
Saints scored early on through Steven MacLean and Murray Davidson added a fourth with the last kick of the game.
Delighted home manager Tommy Wright said: “I know the red cards will take away from our result, but we we will wake up with three points.
“It's a good win, an important win at this stage of the season.”
Wright defended referee Thomson's red card calls, saying: “If he had made those decisions in three different games there probably wouldn't be a hullabaloo about it.”
The Saints boss said he never harboured any doubt O'Halloran would settle in quickly after returning on loan from Ibrox.
“I think he is even better and to score three goals already is an incredible start for him,” Wright said.
“He will be disappointed to miss the penalty. It would have been nice for him to get a hat-trick."