Staggies left on the brink as spot-kick turned down
ROSS COUNTY co-manager Stuart Kettlewell launched a scathing attack on referee Andrew Dallas after he denied the Highlanders a potentially vital late penalty at Dingwall last night.
the bottom side’s six-year Premiership stay was left hanging by a thread after Simon Murray hit an early second-half winner for Dundee last night.
And, on a night of high tension and anxiety for the hosts, there was fury when Dallas booked Michael Gardyne for diving when it looked like he had been brought down by Faissal El Bakhtaoui.
Kettlewell could barely contain his rage given the potential cost and implications of the decision.
‘We have seen (the decision) again and my question is — who is accountable for it?’ he asked.
‘If we go down, people will lose their jobs, it’s a harsh reality of the world. We’d love to know who is accountable because we just get fobbed off all the time.
‘I hate making it as an excuse — I’m not saying it was the reason we lost the game. But it was another huge moment.
‘It’s the same as Hamilton not getting a red card in the first 17 seconds, the same as that referee then sending somebody off which was then appealed.
‘We never seem to get any explanation. nothing ever seems to happen. I know there’s human error in football, but these decisions are massive.’
Partick’s defeat to Motherwell means County can still overtake the Jags and finish in the play-off spot — if they beat St Johnstone in Perth on Saturday and Alan Archibald’s men fail to win at Dundee.
Within 90 seconds last night, Billy Mckay had the ball in the Dundee net with a close-range finish from Gardyne’s free-kick, but the offside flag was raised.
the visitors gave away some careless fouls and, from a 12thminute Davis Keillor-Dunn corner, ex-Hibs defender Liam Fontaine missed a close-range chance, knocking the ball wide after ghosting in at the back post.
County’s desire to get at the Dens Park side involved an element of risk-taking and, after 24 minutes, with Jason naismith caught forward, Randy Wolters was able to thrash a low shot into Scott Fox’s arms.
It was a similar story 12 minutes later as Paul McGowan’s pass set up Kevin Holt for a ferocious attempt from outside the box that flew low beyond the far post.
County came back out for the second half with all guns blazing.
naismith was played wide right and powered in an inviting cross. Keillor-Dunn, unmarked, chose to try a difficult back-post volley rather than connect with his head — and sent the ball over.
the Highlanders were then dealt a blow as Murray beat substitute keeper Aaron McCarey, on for injured Fox at the break.
Wolters’ cross from the left bounced across the six-yard box and found Murray reacting sharply to direct a header into the net.
Moments later, only a fine sliding block by Fontaine stopped Murray striking again. County responded and Gardyne’s cross found KeillorDunn this time leaping to head at goal, only for keeper Elliot Parish to smother down low.
Dundee substitute El Bakhtaoui went close to grabbing a second but blasted just wide.
Frenchman David ngog, only just on the park, had a great chance to equalise with eight minutes left, wriggling free in the box into space, before hitting the side netting from eight yards.
It might have been all over for County soon after as McGowan struck the top of the upright from outside the area.
there was then fury as Gardyne went down in the box under El Bakhtaoui’s attentions but, with the home crowd screaming for a penalty, referee Dallas booked the winger for diving.
Dundee manager neil McCann said: ‘We did enough to win by more.’