Tommy has a Wright go at ropey ref Muir as whistler sparks chaotic end to Tayside tussle
Tommy Wright blasted ref Alan Muir after watching his St Johnstone side crash to a controversial Tayside derby defeat.
A-Jay Leitch-Smith bagged a brace and Soufien Moussa was on target from the spot as Dundee claimed their first league win of the season.
Saints midfielder Liam Craig also netted a spot-kick double as whistler Muir lost the plot.
He awarded three penalties, chalked of f what looked like a perfectly good equaliser by Steven Anderson and red-carded Dundee skipper Darren O’Dea – all within a mad 10-minute spell.
Wright was furious with the goal Anderson was denied – which would have levelled it up at 2-2 – and couldn’t fathom why Dundee were awarded their penalty as Richard Foster challenged Leitch-Smith.
Wright said: “I will have to watch what I say or I’ll end up in a lot of trouble. We gave away two shocking goals so we have to look at ourselves.
“The game turns on two incidents. For the first one, Ando has jumped higher than the Dundee player and got up early so I have no idea why that’s called a foul. And for Dundee’s penalty, it’s beyond me how you can give a spot-kick for that.
“I have been to see Alan and he said it was body contact, which is incredible considering Richard has won the ball. It doesn’t add up.
“He showed character to give one of our penalties against O’Dea for pulling because he had already warned him. But I have no idea how he makes that decision against us.
“We have to look at ourselves. Take away the referee and we have given away two terrible goals.”
The Perth gaffer was also involved in a touchline rammy with Dundee No. 2 Graham Gartland, who was sent to the stands, on an incredible day of drama.
But Wright said: “Was it tetchy? No, there was nothing for me.
“I’m happy with how I behaved – I wasn’t the one sent to the stand.”
Dundee took the lead inside 10 minutes thanks to a howler from Saints goalie Alan Mannus.
Roarie Deacon f loated over a free-kick from the right and O’Dea’s header should been a routine save.
But Mannus inexplicably let the
ball spill from his grasp and on-loan Shrewsbury striker Leitch- Smith scooped into the net.
Leitch-Smith almost made it 2- 0 when he was inches away from converting Kevin Holt’s driven ball.
But Dark Blues No.1 Scott Bain was the busier keeper and denied Michael O’Hal loran, David Wotherspoon, Steven MacLean and Denny Johnstone.
Dundee doubled their lead after the break when Leitch- Smith claimed his second, smashing home after some head tennis in the area.
Then came the madness. Saints were thrown a lifeline in 75 minutes when Bain bundled Graham Cummins over in the area and Muir pointed to the spot.
Craig despatched the spot-kick and moments later sent over a corner that Anderson headed home – only for Muir to rule it out for a foul.
Dundee were awarded a penalty of their own in 78 minutes as LeithSmith was barged over by Foster.
Moussa tucked the ball home to make it 3-1 but the drama was far from finished.
Saints were given another spot-kick on 84 minutes when Muir spotted an infringement in a crowded penalty area after O’Dea had tugged Anderson’s shirt.
The Irishman was also sent off for
a second yellow card after being booked just moments earlier.
Wright’s spat with Gartland added to the chaos but Dundee held on to lift themselves off the bottom.
Boss Neil McCann said: “We had some fantastic performances and some exceptional ones. I’m proud.
“It was a crazy 10 or 15 minutes towards the end there. The first penalty was clear-cut and then the second one that A-Jay got I wasn’t sure about but it was contact in the box so I was screaming for it.
“The final one with Darren and Ando probably could have gone either way. It made things difficult so I’m glad we were able to see it out.”