Hughes claims referee ‘conned’ over penalty

ST MIRREN

Mcgrath 82pen

ROSS COUNTY

1

0

Ross County manager John Hughes pointed the finger of blame at referee Greg Aitken as his side went down 1-0 at St Mirren.

Aitken awarded the home side a penalty nine minutes from time after County defender Leo Hjelde appeared to foul Saints substitute Collin Quaner in the box and Jamie Mcgrath converted for the only goal of the game.

Hughes, pictured, felt Quaner had dived and argued that the referee had to get those decisions right with his team embroiled in a relegation battle.

He said: "We're bitterly disappointed. With what's at stake and boys playing for livelihoods, you're wanting these decisions to be correct. Who would be a ref? But he gets paid and he needs to make it spot on. I wish it was my team getting that award. If that's where the game has gone maybe we're too honest as a team.

"Once the ref sees it he'll know he's been conned, so it's up to the authorities to do something about that."

St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin agreed that the award was soft but felt his team ought to have had a penalty in the first half when Joe Shaughnessy was caught by Keith Watson's elbow. He said: "I don't think it was a dive as Collin has got the wrong side of the defender. But it was soft, no doubt.

"If you ask which is more of a pen then I'd suggest Joe's is more. He has a peach of a black eye after being clearly smashed in the face.

"He took a really bad bang on the side of the head but that's not why he came off. He felt his calf tightening up but hopefully that settles down."