Mccann furrious as handball controversy proves costly

Dundee manager N Mccann hit out at referee N Walsh for not listening to W lie Collum during his side’s defeat by Motherwell.

M cc ann–and f our t ho cial Collum – felt Curtis Ma

controlled the ball with his arm seconds before winning the free- kick that led to Cedric Kipre’s headed winner in the 52nd minute at Fir Park.

But Walsh disagreed and Dundee failed to get back into the game despite some concerted late pressure.

After bemoaning the two setpiece goals his team conceded, Mccann said :“I’m angry. When you hear one of our country’ s top officials say to the referee‘ handball, handball’ and give the signal for handball and being ignored by the match official, who is on the opposite side, that beggars belief. I have spoken to the referee and he says he was confident enough it hit his chest. I’m not sure how he can be when you have got one of the top referees telling him ‘ handball’.

Gens eric Ku sun ga gave Dundee the lead when he forced the ball home follow- ing a 23rd- minute corner, but Ryan Bowman netted a similar goal five minutes later before Kipre headed his first goal for the club to take the acclaim of the home fans. But Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson reserved praise for another defender, Charles Dunne, whose header set up Bowman’s goal. “I thought Dunne was exceptional ,” he said. “He can get better and play at whatever level he wants to.”