Another referee gets the cup rules wrong

The cross country nature of the Irn-bru Cup has exposed referees not knowing the competition rules for a second time this season.

Back in September Irish referee Robert Harvey used the wrong approach in the penalty shoot-out between Welsh league side The New Saints and Livingston, and in Sunday’s quarter-final between The New Saints and Queen of the South the rules regarding a fourth substitution were not known.

Northern Irish referee Raymond Crangle, who was in charge on Sunday, used the right approach in the shoot-out that TNS won, however, neither he or his Welsh assistants Bryn Roberts and Aaron Wyn allowed Queen’s to make a fourth substitution when the tie went into extra time.

Queen’s manager Gary Naysmith, pictured, and TNS counterpart Scott Ruscoe both advised the officials that it was allowed and they had done it in previous rounds. Naysmith looked to bring on Chris Kane at the start of extra time, however, he was not allowed with permission only granted in the second half of extra time when a check had been carried out.

Naysmith said: “The fourth official did not know the rules. We were stopped from making a substitution until it was checked out. Officials should know the rules. The managers agreed but the officials were working to different rules. It may not have affected the outcome, but everyone should be working the same way.”