KENNY BE RIGHT
Van der Weg’s late red takes the shine off County’s win for raging gaffer Jim
Jim McIntyre hailed 10-man Ross County for reaching the top six – but wants referee Craig Thomson to look again at Kenny van der Weg’s red card.
The Staggies understood why the whistler interpreted the explosive 82nd-minute flashpoint as he did but feels the sending off may have been harsh.
Dutchman van der Weg walked with the scoreline tied at 1-1 after taking out Jonny Hayes off the ball but County dug out a precious win with Ryan Dow’s dramatic 88th-minute strike.
Earlier top Premiership scorer Liam Boyce had fired the hosts into a half-time lead with his 10th goal of the season only for sub Niall McGinn to hit a second-half leveller.
McIntyre said: “Kenny has tried to professionally foul, and that is good play on his part, but the distance between the ball and the man has been the deciding factor.
“I think the referee has decided he’s gone with a straight leg but he hasn’t – he’s tried to come across him and I don’t know if he’s actually caught him with his studs.
“Obviously it’s in front of their dugout and they’re going to react – just like I would react.
“I want the referee to have another look at it but I can understand it at the same time.”
McIntyre though was thrilled as County stretched their unbeaten run to six games.
He said: “The first hal f was excellent. We continued on from where we left off against Dundee. Joe Lewis has had three unbelievable saves in the first half so it was really pleasing.
“But we knew we weren’ t going to have it all our own way. Aberdeen were the better team in the second hal f as they hemmed us in.”
Early on a fine break away move a almost produce a home opener.
Chris Routis and Boyce linked and the Irish striker teed up young Tony Dingwall for a strike parried by Lewis. Dingwall was first
to the rebound but Anthony O’Connor forced a corner.
Kenny McLean sent a 35-yard strike dipping over the County bar but the home side were celebrating the lead after 26 minutes.
Dingwall’s work on the right sparked the move and Routis, just outside the area and square on goal, fed Michael Gardyne to the left.
Gardyne made the right choice in firing a low, angled ball across the box and Boyce directed the ball past Lewis.
Eight minutes into the second half Dons boss Derek McInnes decided he needed a spark. He threw on Niall McGinn for Wes Burns.
It proved a good move and after 68 minutes they were level. Shay Logan’s low supply in from wide right of the box was dummied by substitute Adam Rooney to leave the County defenders flailing. At the back of the penalty area there was McGinn to drill low past Fox.
The Dons pressure didn’t ease with the equaliser but County resisted and remained hungry on the break.
Sub Alex Schalk twisted into space in Aberdeen box and was only just blocked as he let rip at goal.
But there was furore as van der Weg was red- carded for a late foul on Hayes that didn’t seem to merit such hefty punishment.
The huge setback might have put County on the defensive but to their credit they came again.
And with two minutes left sub Jonathan Franks’ cross was headed downward by defender Andrew Davies and met by Ryan Dow’s head.
The ball spun into the corner of the net and County were left celebrating a much-craved victory.
McInnes saw frustrations boil over in his ranks when team-mates James Maddison and Kenny McLean clashed amid high emotions.
The boss said: “They are thick as thieves off the park and were just both eager to win.
“There’s nothing wrong with showing that passion – it’s something quite nice to see actually.
“I feel a bit mugged there . With one set- play to defend with 10 men we didn’t see it out.”