Hughes accuses Boyle of conning referee as hosts let vital lead slip

ROSS COUNTY manager John Hughes thought he was at poolside when Martin Boyle won Hibs a second-half penalty moments after Billy Mckay had fired the home side in front.

Hughes said: ‘The last time I saw a dive like that, the boy had Speedos on! I felt Boyle played for the penalty and I am expecting better from John Beaton to see what was up, but he only gets one look at it.

‘But then there was the tackle on Leo (Hjelde) when Boyle got booked. Boyle then dived again on the far side but John decided not to take any action because it would have been a second yellow and a red.

‘That’s what I was talking to him about at the end. You need to see it, that’s what you get paid for and we expect better than that.

‘It just seems that up at Ross County, it’s easy to give penalties.

‘I’m not having a go at referees. They have decisions to make and have to make it instantly. I can look at a monitor and see, they can’t do that.

‘I thought the second goal was offside at first then I saw it again and it wasn’t — so I admitted that to the fourth official.’

Hughes added: ‘We went for it at 2-1 and had a go and I feel sorry for the lads because they deserve more.

‘But I have trust in them and I can see us come along leaps and bounds. The attitude is there and they have a good physical presence.

‘I want better football but they are giving me everything. I am into them and demanding of them but I haven’t raised my voice since I came here.

‘But it’s a hard one to swallow losing it in that manner and we just need to keep a clean sheet!’

A first win in three games for Hibs lifted the Leith men six points clear of Aberdeen in the race for third.

Hibs boss Jack Ross countered: ‘I don’t think he (Boyle) conned the referee. I’ve seen it. He turns the wrong side of the defenders.

‘I thought it was a penalty, but people will have different opinions. But I certainly don’t think he dived.

‘I thought we were excellent in the first half, really dominant, and in the second half the game became open.

‘What we’ve not been brilliant at this season is coming from behind in games so, to do that, with the reaction we showed, is pleasing.

‘The whole lead-up was that this is the biggest game of the season for us. Now the next one becomes the biggest game. There’s still a lot to do.’