Sims suffers agonising injury unpunished without VAR

Ross County manager Malky Mackay says it's "incredible" that there were two potentially serious challenges to his players that went unpunished in midweek.

Following their League Cup exit at the hands of Aberdeen, both Josh Sims and Josh Reid were injured - Sims leg split open "like a banana" with work required to treat the gaping gash, while Reid has a suspected hairline fracture on his foot.

Mackay believes VAR could have greatly aided referee John Beaton in making the correct calls in the 2-1 defeat.

"Josh Sims was out of the hospital at 6:15am and they've taken X-rays and they've stitched up inside and outside with the muscle and the skin - it's a really nasty one - and I think Josh Reid was 4:15am when his X-ray was done

"I've had a conversion with Crawford Allan (head of referee operations) because neither - in a game of cards - merited a booking which I find incredible

"Both had to go to hospital, both there until the early hours, but the referee's feedback was he didn't see either incident

"VAR would've helped - when I look at the Josh Sims one, Ryan Duncan's off - it's as clear as a bell

"He's not trying, it's clumsy, and they could've had two off - if we had VAR"

Mackay did not give a timescale on Josh Sims' recuperation, as it depends on how the muscle heals along with the skin on the surface. The County boss said they had be "very careful" with the risk of infection should they rush the process.

With Josh Reid there was concern for a potential broken foot, but Mackay now feels that it is not as bad as first feared.