ROUGH JUSTICE

Ref ’s decision not to dismiss Sands ‘inexplicable’ says County boss Malky

MALKY MACKAY last night branded Don Robertson’s decision not to red card Rangers’ James Sands as ‘inexplicable’, insisting the call denied Ross County the platform to claim a result at Ibrox.

Mackay watched in disbelief as the referee waved play on after his striker Jordy Hiwula was hauled down by defender Sands when breaking clear on goal with the scores level.

Sands had been booked for a near-identical offence just minutes earlier.

Rangers would run out convincing 4-0 winners but Mackay insisted that any fair analysis of the game should take into account his team’s injustice.

He said: ‘First of all we’ve played a very good team today, a Champions League team, who gave us the credit of playing a very strong line-up.

‘For the first 15 minutes we were doing fine. Sands pulls down Jordy with two hands around his waist. He’d been booked but it’s inexplicable how it’s not a straight red, never mind a booking which would take him off anyway.

‘They (Rangers) took him off at half-time which shows what they think. I can’t see how anyone who

sees it on TV will think differently. The dynamics of the game changes if he goes off.

‘I’m not saying what might happen but Aberdeen against Livingston was 0-0 after 40 minutes. Livingston lose a player and it’s 5-0 to Aberdeen.’

Mackay immediately approached fourth official

Alan Muir for an explanation of the non red card and was dissatisfied with the response. A later conversation with Robertson left him in no doubt the officials were aware of their mistake.

He continued: ‘I wonder if Don realises something isn’t quite right because at the end of the game he told me that if he got it wrong he’d call me tonight.

‘There weren’t bodies in between, it was very straightforward. There was no need for him to go down, he rolled him and he was away. We are disappointed with that.

‘The fourth official didn’t say he saw enough. It’s one of those things. VAR will hopefully clear these things up but it doesn’t make it any better today.’

Mackay had gone into the game minus his captain Jack Baldwin and midfielder Ross Callachan, who were both cited and suspended retrospectively by the SFA after last weekend’s win over Kilmarnock.

‘That makes it more sore,’ he added ‘Two of my best players aren’t here then something goes against you like that. You need correct decisions to go for you at Ibrox.

‘And for those retrospective ones the process has to be better. There needs to be someone who sits and watches 90 minutes of six games, not just Sportscene.’

For all his frustration, Mackay was able to draw some positivity from the sight of teenager Dylan Smith making his debut as a substitute.

The Highland defender only recently turned 16 but was thrown on late at Ibrox.

He added: ‘Dylan has terrific potential.

‘He’s just turned 16 three months ago and he’s straight in the first team and merited coming onto the pitch.

‘He took the ball three or four times and his passing success was 100 per cent.

‘I’m delighted for him and his family. They are locals and he deserved his professional debut.’