Spot of controversy as injury-time decision denies Fifers victory

Darren Young expects referee Alan Muir to experience a video nasty when he watches back the injury-time decision that cost East Fife a place in round four.

Young’s side were closing out a win over Championship club Greenock Morton when Muir penalised them for a handball inside the box.

The call against Ross Dunlop looked harsh to say the least, the Fifer unable to do anything about the ball hitting him from close range.

Morton netted the penalty before going on to win the game in extra time.

Furious Fife boss Young said: “I’ve watched it back and the referee says he made himself bigger.

“But once the referee watches it back himself, he’ll soon realise he made a mistake which put us out of the cup.

“We contained them and did very well and I can’t praise the boys enough. But decisions can cost games.

“We’ve had maybe seven penalties given against us this season and only one was stonewall.

“You can quite clearly see in the video that Ross Dunlop brings his hands in, it hits his hand and his hand goes back and the ref gives the penalty.

“Alan is a good referee and has a split second to make a decision but cost us.”

East Fife started the game well with Liam Watt unlucky to see his effort come back off the post.

Kevin Smith was the next to go close for the home side, his effort well stopped by Aidan McAdams from point blank range.

Morton had not asked too many questions of East Fife in the first half but were a lot better in the second.

But East Fife were looking good too and took the lead shortly before the hour mark.

Liam Newton did brilliantly as he raced into the visiting box and held off his markers before crossing for Kevin Smith to net from six yards.

Morton responded well to going behind and heaped pressure on the Fife goal but it looked as if they would be out of luck until deep into injury time.

The Fifers were scrambling to clear a cross and the ball hit Dunlop on the hand. Muir pointed to the spot much to the frustration of the Fife defence and bench. It was cruel on the home side but Sean McGinty showed no mercy from the spot.

Both sides has chances in extra time but Morton began to grow in strength and Robbie Muirhead’s looping effort, which caught a deflection, sealed the win for the Championship club. it’s