The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Scotland’s Liam Henderson
Scotland Under-21 boss Ricky Sbragia hit out at the “diabolical” antics of the FYR Macedonia technical area after last night’s European Championship qualifying defeat at Tynecastle.
The Scots started the game confidently but were stunned in the 17th minute when striker Kire Markoski fired the visitors ahead.
Sbragia’s side pressed even harder for the leveller after Egzon Bejtulai was sent off by referee Sebastian Coltescu in the 69th minute after picking up two quick yellow cards.
Scotland midfielder Liam Henderson had the ball in the net in the seven minutes of added time only to have it ruled off for what could only have been a foul on keeper Igor Aleksovic before a penalty was awarded for a handball then rescinded on the advice of the linesman – correctly as it appeared substitute Oliver McBurnie raised his hand.
Scotland headed for the qualification exit door with eight points from seven games and while Sbragia praised his players he had little positive to say about opposition coach Blagoja Milevski and his staff for their behaviour.
He said: “I thought Henderson’s goal was a goal. I didn’t think it was a penalty, I did say that.
“Olly’s hand went up but it was definitely a goal. It went through his legs and he stuck it in but that’s typical luck.
“You need luck but we didn’t get it. But I thought the mannerisms of the other dugout was diabolical. If that is respect...
“I did experience that in Georgia but it is ridiculous.
“The more pressure they put on officials the more they get. They don’t want to upset them and that happened today.
“There’s this policy of one standing up. They had 15 up and there were balls thrown on the pitch by their staff.
“It is maddening. They are killing time, they are rolling round.
“It’s part of the game and we have to deal with that. I thought the boys did very well tonight.”
Scotland: Kelly, Smith (Nicholson 75), McGhee, Souttar, Kingsley, Christie, Gauld, Slater (McBurnie 58), Fraser (King 87), Henderson, Cummings. Subs not used: Hurst, Hyam, Cadden, O’Hara.