McGHEE FURIOUS WITH ‘JOKE’ RED CARD AGAINST McHUGH
MARK McGHEE railed against referee Andrew Dallas’s ‘joke’ decision to send off Carl McHugh, claiming it cost Motherwell the game against Hearts.
With the game deadlocked early in the second half, McHugh was red carded for a challenge on Don Cowie which the referee judged to be dangerous. After viewing television footage of the incident, McGhee vowed to appeal.
‘I’ve just watched it over and over again and never in a million years is it a sending off,’ said the Fir Park manager. ‘It’s a joke. It’s a great tackle, he’s won the ball, what can I say — it’s a
ridiculous decision. It’s cost us the game. Even at 1-0 down with 10 men we’re still the best team.’
McHugh’s dismissal had distinct echoes of Scott McDonald’s red card in the televised game against Rangers a week earlier. The Fir Park club failed in an appeal to overturn McDonald’s suspension but that won’t put McGhee off lodging another petition: ‘Appeal? 100 per cent. It’s less of a sending off than Scott McDonald’s.
‘He books (Ben) Heneghan as well for a fantastic tackle in the middle of the park. It’s as clean as a whistle — what’s it all about? Hugely frustrating. People from the outside see 3-0 and think Hearts have beaten us well. That’s not the case at all.
‘We go 2-0 down and we’ve got people running out of legs like young Zak (Jules) at left-back which cost us the third goal but the score does not reflect the game for me.
‘There was a lot right about us today and somehow we’ve conspired to have the game taken from us.’
McGhee did not seek an explanation from the official after the game.
He added: ‘What can you say? They don’t speak to you. It’s just impossible. So, no, I didn’t speak to him.’
For Hearts boss Ian Cathro this was a second consecutive victory — a timely burst of form going into next weekend’s tie against Scottish Cup holders Hibernian at Tynecastle.
The head coach admitted his team had struggled to get the same intensity of performance that yielded a 4-1 victory over Rangers in midweek, but was delighted to see two of his nine January signings on the scoresheet in Alexandros Tziolis and Esmael Goncalves.
He said: ‘It’s been a good week and I’m most pleased with the feeling and the togetherness among the players.
‘Alex has done well. He knows how to position himself, to be the free player to take passes and how to manage the middle of the pitch. That’s his job and responsibility.
‘Esmael is a different type of striker. One with energy, aggression and direct attacking.’