Hibs boss Alan Stubbs slams ref for costly Mark Oxley booking

Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs feels referee Stephen Finnie cost Mark Oxley a place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Finnie booked Oxley for time-wasting where Stubbs insists he required a contact lens - a point missed by the match official due to a lack of communication.

Former Hull goalkeeper Oxley was finally taken off with two minutes of normal time remaining for Otso Virtanen because he had no vision in his right eye.

He picked up a yellow card earlier in the competition and will miss the semi-final with Dundee United on April 16.

Hibernian were 2-1 up at that point thanks to a brace from Anthony Stokes, with Iain Vigurs pulling one back for reigning cup holders Inverness.

Stubbs saw his side hold on but was frustrated with the decision that likely means Virtanen will face the Arabs next month.

The referee is supposed to communicate with Mark. Everyone in the stadium could see he's pointing to his eye and that he's got a problem - you would think the referee would ask him if he needs a contact lens. He obviously hasn't and books him,'' he said.

Unfortunately for us he misses the semi-final because of a lack of communication. The referee is going to hide behind the fact he probably did ask him.

If there's any common sense then you would like to think it gets rescinded. But I don't think the two go hand-in-hand. If he needs a contact lens he doesn't deserve a booking.''

Stubbs' counterpart John Hughes was left to lament two defensive errors that gifted Hibs their goals. Danny Devine and Carl Tremarco missed headers for Stokes' first, with Devine conceding possession to Liam Henderson for his second.

The first, for me as a former centre-half, that cross needed to be headed away. If we're not going to do that fundamental and it drops to Stokes and we're not near him, we have to accept the consequences,'' Hughes said.

The second goal was also self-inflicted, and it's been like that all season. All credit to them as they gave it everything they've got, but we're not going to win a game if we're 2-0 down at half-time through cheap goals like that - it's as simple as that.''