Thistle's Azeez insists he's no diver after Ross County draw

Partick Thistle's Ade Azeez was shocked then relieved after being involved in two controversial penalty box incidents in the 1-1 draw with Ross County at Firhill.

In the 58th minute, with the home side leading through a first-half Sean Welsh spot-kick, the 22-year-old forward was booked for simulation inside the Staggies area by referee Don Robertson after being challenged by County captain Paul Quinn.

Then, early in the nine minutes added on by the official for a neck injury to Thistle defender Liam Lindsay, the visitors claimed for a penalty when Azeez tangled with substitute Chris Burke inside the Jags' box.

Robertson ignored the claims, but Burke levelled with a drive minutes later to leave both clubs with a Ladbrokes Premiership point apiece.

The former AFC Wimbledon player said: I have never been one for diving. It is not in my make up. I felt contact and I went down.

I am six yards away from the goal. I could set someone up, try to get a shot off, anything. You could see the shock in my face when he booked me.

Everyone makes mistakes and in my opinion that was a mistake, but no one is perfect.''

Asked about County's penalty claim, he said: I tried to nick it. It happened so quickly, I might have got a touch, I am not too sure.

Fortunately for me it wasn't given. I have seen them given. I have seen penalties given for a lot less.''

County boss Jim McIntyre, however, insisted his side had been denied a stonewall'' penalty.

He said: The key moment in the game was when the ref has got to give us a penalty. It was a stonewaller, every bit as much as theirs.

We've been punished lately with red cards and rightly so because they were the right decisions, but we need to get them in our favour as well.

I'm not here to criticise referees - he's made a mistake and that could have cost us three points.''

Lindsay was caught between his goalkeeper Ryan Scully and Staggies defender Andrew Davies in an aerial challenge inside the Jags box around the 70th minute mark.

He was given several minutes of treatment before he was carried from the field on a stretcher.

Thistle manager Alan Archibald said: He is away to hospital. I am hoping it is just precautionary. He had pain in his neck and nowadays they take every precaution.

I don't think he was unconscious, their centre-half had a wee nudge on him and he was going one way and our goalkeeper came the other and they clattered each other so fingers crossed he is okay.

Nothing against Ziggy Gordon who went on, but I think if Liam is still on the pitch and we are organised in that manner we don't lose the goal.

But we have to defend better. There are two incidents in it and we should have seen the game out because I think we were comfortable for 90 minutes.''

On Azeez's booking, Archibald said: He is the most honest lad I have ever met so I would be very surprised if he had dived.

I wish he would do it more. He's had a few like that and he doesn't go down.

I am not asking him to dive without contact, but I would be very surprised if he has dived.''