The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Boss Mackay cries foul for first goal

- By Gary Keown

ROSS COUNTY manager Malky Mackay last night bemoaned referee Steven McLean’s failure to spot what he deemed a deliberate foul in the leadup to the Jake Doyle-Hayes goal that put Hibs on the road to a crucial first win in seven league games.

Doyle-Hayes made the difference with two secondhalf strikes from distance, but Mackay accused home defender Rocky Bushiri of tripping Harry Paton as he moved to block the effort — and insisted the big screens at Easter Road made the officials’ mistake all the more obvious.

‘The biggest thing that displeased me was the foul for the first goal,’ stated Mackay. ‘I think everyone saw it clear as day on the big screen.

‘The angle straight-on doesn’t (let you) see it, but the minute it goes behind the goals, you see Bushiri just clipping Harry Paton’s heels as Paton goes to block the shot.

‘I saw it from the dugout. Why would Harry Paton just fall over? It was a huge decision to get wrong.

‘I asked him (McLean) about it at the end of the game. I just said: “It’s on the big screen. You’ll see it tonight on television”.

‘They got the goal in a game of few chances and it means we have to go and chase it, we have to change our system, we have to expose ourselves a bit more, and get caught on the counter.

‘That happened for their second goal — take nothing away from a fabulous strike — and that changes the dynamic of the game.’

Asked if Scotland’s referees are good enough, the former SFA performanc­e director replied: ‘I think VAR will help. The clubs, league and SFA are in consultati­ons to get that brought in. In England, it takes away 97 per cent of mistakes.’

County are now just four points clear of secondbott­om St Johnstone with the Perth side travelling to

Dingwall on Saturday, but Mackay refuses to let the enormity of that clash prey on his mind.

‘I’m not sure I’d call it a predicamen­t,’ he said.

‘We are one defeat in five and seven unbeaten at home. It is a tough league and people do go through runs.

‘It’s going to be that until the end of the season and we are going to have to be on our mettle every week.

‘I’m confident in the group I’ve got that they are as good as most in this league.’

 ?? ?? ANGRY: Mackay calls out referee McLean (standing behind his assistant) at the end
ANGRY: Mackay calls out referee McLean (standing behind his assistant) at the end
 ?? ??

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