Stubbs fury at Duffy’s winner
ALAN STUBBS admitted he is loathe to question officials but felt he was again left with no option after another contentious decision saw his team lose more ground in the race for second place.
The Easter Road boss was incensed when a dubious offside call cost Hibs last weekend at St Mirren and it was a similar story as his men slipped to a fifth reverse in their last seven league matches against already relegated Alloa.
Stubbs was furious Michael Duffy’s first-half strike, which cannoned off the bar before bouncing downward, was allowed to stand with television replays proving inconclusive as to whether the ball had actually crossed the line.
Referee Bobby Madden awarded the goal after consulting with linesman Thomas Shaw, but the Hibs boss is adamant there is no way he could have been 100-per-cent certain.
Yet, while Stubbs had a valid point, the controversy could not mask the paucity of the display against an Alloa side already condemned to life in League One next season and who were recording a first home win of the season.
The defeat left Hibs six points adrift of Falkirk, who visit Edinburgh on Tuesday night.
Stubbs said: ‘The performance was disappointing. We were affected by the pitch and looked uncomfortable on it.
‘I have seen replays of the goal and it is not conclusive. It is just another decision that has gone against us.
‘We have had a few recently that have gone against us and it’s led to goals which have affected the outcome of the game.
‘He can’t be guaranteed, with the speed of which he hit it, that it is a goal. I have seen replays and it is inconclusive. How he can come to that decision, in that short space of time, I don’t know.’
Given the desperate need for points in the battle to pip Falkirk for second place, there was an air of lethargy about Hibs in the early stages at the Indodrill Stadium.
They still dominated possession although they were unable to do much with it.
Jason Cummings had a sclaffed effort hooked off the line after 15 minutes and then Anthony Stokes went close with an attempted lob.
But, Alloa’s distinctly uneven plastic surface, which has also been considerably narrowed this season, was proving to be a real leveller.
The part-timers grabbed a surprise lead in the dying seconds of a pitifully poor first half.
Not for the first time this season, Hibs were unable to deal with a cross delivered into their penalty area. Duffy had acres of space when Iain Flannigan’s corner arrived in the box and he made the most of it, crashing home a sensational volley off the underside of the bar.
The referee wasn’t entirely convinced the ball had crossed the line when it rebounded off the woodwork, but following a quick consultation with his assistant he allowed it to stand.
Duffy should have put the game beyond doubt with 12 minutes remaining when a delightful ball from Flannigan left him clear through on goal, but Mark Oxley pulled off a terrific save to deny him.
Hibs were unable to muster a late response much to the relief of Alloa boss Jack Ross, who was presiding over a first home win of the campaign.
Ross said: ‘We are going out of the league having taken a huge scalp. Hibs are a huge club with internationals in their team.
‘Nobody wants to be part of a team who goes through a whole season without winning at home.
‘The ways things have gone for us this season, I didn’t think the goal had been given. It was a deserved bit of fortune in front of goal.’