McInnes Red rage at ref
DEREK McINNES hailed Aberdeen’s spirit after they brushed off a ropey penalty award from whistler Andrew Dallas to beat Hamilton.
Goals from Ash Taylor and Adam Rooney sealed a victory
ANTHONY HAGGERTY AT PITTODRIE
that saw the Reds narrow the gap on second-placed Rangers to just four points.
However, McInnes was incensed by ref Dallas’s controversial decision to give Accies a penalty just four minutes after Taylor headed the Dons into a 1-0 lead.
Dallas ruled that keeper Joe Lewis had hauled down Danny
From Back Page Redmond in the box but McInnes insisted his man had played the ball twice.
And he also hit out at the ref for disallowing an early goal from Mark Reynolds. The Dons gaffer said: “How that goal was chalked off, I don’t know.
“There’s no infringement on the keeper which the referee suggested.
“We get a thoroughly-deserved goal through Ash and we’re hoping for a second then the referee gives a penalty that was never a penalty. That’s the second time this season against Hamilton that we’re so aggrieved with the penalty decision against us.
“Joe makes the save. Obviously there is going to be contact but Joe has touched the ball twice, it’s come off his leg and then his body.
“It’s a bad decision but we reminded the players that at Hamilton we still had plenty of time to get the result and we never did that night.
“It has not stopped us winning the game this time. We needed composure and confidence to keep up the tempo of the game and the players were excellent from that point of view.”
Hamilton boss Martin Canning admits his side need to start winning games soon, starting with Saturday’s Lanarkshire derby.
He said: “It has been a hard spell for us lately.
“We have had a difficult run of games and we have lost by the odd goal on three occasions.
“We know we have to start winning more games and Saturday against Motherwell is massive for us now.”