Caldwell counts the cost of Cowie ‘dive’
GARY CALDWELL accused his former Scotland and Wigan teammate Don Cowie of diving for Ross County’s breakthrough goal from the penalty spot as the Staggies went top of the league.
The Partick Thistle boss branded the 26th-minute award ‘ridiculous’ after watching Ross Stewart’s late second goal lift County above Ayr United in the title race.
With the Maryhill side still chasing a first away win of the league campaign, Caldwell felt his team performed superbly barring the lack of a killer touch up front.
But the former Celtic defender vowed he would address those shortcomings in the January transfer window, with his side remaining a point off bottom spot.
Caldwell said: ‘It was total control from us but we couldn’t put our chances away. It was a ridiculous penalty. Was it a clear dive? Yes.
‘We know what’s missing and we’ll fix it in January. But in terms of how we play and the character in the squad, they were fantastic.’
Stewart’s first attempt on goal had to be headed off the line by Tam Scobbie before Billy Mckay shot wide in 24 minutes.
Two minutes later, though, County were ahead. Ross Draper’s weighted pass threatened to release Cowie but the slightest contact from Daniel Jefferies had the midfielder crashing to earth.
Mckay, claiming his 14th goal of the season, only just squeezed the penalty through the diving grasp of goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon.
Partick rallied and only a superb sliding block from young County defender Tom Grivosti thwarted Miles Storey in front of goal.
Thistle exerted heavy pressure on the hosts after the break. Sean McGinty made a surging 30-yard run into the left side of the County box and forced keeper Scott Fox to parry for a corner. Storey was also unlucky to see a shot spin just over the bar before the hour.
County’s Stewart was then halted illegally by the leg of Scobbie 22 yards out. Josh Mullin’s deflected free-kick smacked off the top of the bar for a corner.
The home side’s clinching goal came with 11 minutes left.
Mullin raced forward on the counter-attack and slipped the ball to Stewart at the edge of the area.
The big striker dragged the ball onto his left foot and swept a lovely shot into the corner of the net from just inside the area.
County co-manager Stuart Kettlewell praised his team’s solidity and Partick’s adventurous play but staunchly defended Cowie.
Kettlewell said: ‘It was hard-fought at times. I’d pay huge respect to Partick. But credit to our guys, we dug in really well and stood their ground. With results elsewhere, that takes us top of the league at Christmas — and now we’ve got to kick on and do even better.
‘For the penalty, it certainly looked like contact to me. With someone like Don Cowie, with the career he’s had, it would generally suggest there was contact.
‘I don’t think Don has ever been labelled a diver in his career.
‘Maybe Gary needs to have a look at that one again.’
ROSS COUNTY (4-4-2): Fox; Fraser, Watson, Grivosti, Demetriou; Cowie, Lindsay, Draper, Mullin (Wallace 90); Mckay (Gardyne 73), Stewart (McManus 84). Subs (not used): Munro, Vigurs, Keillor-Dunn, Kelly. Booked: Draper. PARTICK THISTLE (3-4-3): Sneddon; Jefferies (Slater 74), Scobbie, McGinty; Elliott, Spittal, Bannigan, Penrice; Storey, Doolan (Erskine 80), Fitzpatrick (Quitongo 58). Subs (not used): Stevenson, Keown, Erskine, McCarthy, Wilson. Booked: Bannigan, Scobbie. Referee: Colin Steven. Attendance: 3,467.