Hibs boss feels hard done by after late booking
JACK ROSS insisted that referee David Dickinson over-reacted by booking him late on in Hibernian’s defeat at McDiarmid Park.
The Hibs manager saw yellow after complaining at Dickinson’s failure to award a foul for a challenge on Christian Doidge on the edge of the St Johnstone penalty area.
Ross marched onto the pitch after the final whistle to demand an explanation for the decision — and received his punishment from the referee.
Ross said: ‘If I deserved to get booked, I deserve to get booked. But what I would say is that, in empty stadiums, I hear players saying a whole lot worse to referees regularly through a game.
‘But managers are, obviously I guess, held accountable to a different standard with less leeway for what they can say.
‘I think when you get to injury time and you’re frustrated that there’s no award of an obvious freekick at the edge of the box, the referee might understand a manager getting frustrated.
‘But so be it. I got a couple of explanations. One out on the pitch saying he didn’t think it was a foul.
‘Then inside he explained he was playing an advantage.
So it might get decided now which one it was, I don’t know.
‘I know people might not think it a big deal but it was a pretty obvious free-kick for me. At that time in the game, it’s a chance for us to have a shot on goal or put the ball in the box.’
Hibs travel to Dingwall next Saturday for their game in hand, hoping to beat Ross County and extend their third-place lead over Aberdeen to six points.
Ross stressed: ‘It’s important for us to regroup and I have to remind the players they’re still in the driving seat to finish third.
‘It’s important we go and win. I’ve been critical and honest when we fall below standards but that didn’t happen here.
‘I thought we were excellent in the second half, dominating a good side in their own stadium.
‘So it’s a day of frustration not taking at least a point.’