Davidson still angry over Madden performance

CALLUM DAVIDSON has taken another swipe at referee Bobby Madden ahead of St Johnstone’s do-ordie cinch Premiership play-off against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The McDiarmid Park boss was angry following his side’s 2-2 draw with Inverness in the Highlands after Reece McAlear’s first goal was scored with a good deal of controversy.

Saints defender Jamie McCart and Caley striker Billy Mckay clashed heads in the build-up before Austin Samuels latched on to the flick on in an off-side position.

Madden missed both incidents and after Saturday’s Scottish Cup final staging a similar head-knock situation, Davidson admits he is still mad about both calls.

“When I watched the Rangers game against Hearts and the boy Nathaniel Atkinson got a head knock when Rangers were attacking and the game stopped, that made what happened on Friday worse,” he said.

“You get frustrated on the sidelines but it was a head knock and I’m sure the rules say a head knock, especially with both players down, it should be stopped. But the referee let the game go on and they scored and the boy was off-side.

“It does infuriate you as it can be the turning point. It hasn’t ruined the tie but it would have put us in a stronger position.

“We can’t dwell on it but we can hope to get a couple of good decisions going for us in this game and it will even itself out.

“We know we are having to sometimes play against the refs.”

“If it is one mistake then you can go ‘okay’, but two blatant ones. It’s about consistency. If I didn’t see the cup final on Saturday I wouldn’t be so mad.

“I let it go and then watched the game and saw the game stopped for a head knock. Bobby obviously doesn’t stop games for head knocks, it must be how he refs the games.

“Maybe he needs to look at how each referee takes charge of each game to make sure we know what goes on.”