McInnes: Red card call was ‘extremely harsh’

DEREK McINNES last night queried referee David Dickinson’s decision to award Rangers a penalty and reduce Kilmarnock to ten men by showing a red card to defender Joe Wright. Taking a shock lead through James Tavernier’s 12th-minute own goal, Kilmarnock were undone when Wright handled on the line. Sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR Steven Kirkland, match official Dickinson awarded the spot-kick and pulled out a red card. While Will Dennis produced a superb save to deny Tavernier, McInnes felt the double jeopardy allied to eight minutes of added time killed his side. ‘I thought we looked like the team in that early part of the game that we have been all season,’ said the Killie boss. ‘It was good character and personality to get ourselves in front against the odds and, going 1-0 up at a place like Ibrox, it is important you have confidence. Scoring the first goal is magic for that. ‘The game changes on the sending off. It’s the whole thing about double jeopardy — there is no doubt it has hit Joe’s arm but I think it is accidental, although he stopped a goal-scoring opportunity. Penalty, yes. Sending off? If that is the rule then it is the rule but I am not sure it should be the rule. ‘I thought it was extremely harsh given the circumstances. I don’t think he has deliberately swung his hand out to stop a goal. And the penalty would have sufficed. Obviously Will makes the save and there’s eight minutes of added time, and I know there were two or three VAR checks, but eight minutes seemed quite a lot. ‘I spoke to the fourth official and he said 30 seconds to go and that was in the lead up, so it was the very last seconds of the half when we have one situation that we need to defend better. To score off that and see it trundle into the goal gives Rangers a lift, gives the crowd a lift and I think it is a different team talk in both dressing rooms as a consequence of that.’