Hammell is Well angry as penalty call goes begging
Motherwell manager Steven Hammell was furious at the lack of a VAR check at the death of yesterday’s game that he felt could have cost his side a point.
The Fir Park boss felt that there were two strong shouts for a penalty on the cusp of full-time – one when Ricki Lamie shirt was pulled from defender Anthony Stewart before they claimed the ball then brushed his hand.
Stewart climbing on the back of Kevin van Veen seconds before the whistle added to his sense of grievance.
“They need to be very careful,” said Hammell with regard to the officials.
“The games are paused two or three minutes when they’re making these decisions.
“We felt as if we had two very strong claims, the handball was clear, but the one where Rickie Lamie is tripped right at the end and then the whistle goes [is also clear].
“For that to happen without the check and then there is the full-time whistle, we think it hasn’t been looked at properly, especially the way we see it. It’s a penalty and these are big moments in the game.
“We were told that the game was over.
“We feel like it doesn’t matter what time of the game it is, the incidents should all be looked at the same. It’s supposed to be here to look at things and at least check it and I don’t think they done that.”
Motherwell’s plight is now becoming dangerous as they find themselves sliding down the table.
This defeat means they have claimed just one win from their last seven games.
They are now just four points clear of bottom two Ross County and Dundee United.
“It’s difficult, it seems to be the way it is just now, we’ve lost by a single goal in a game we could’ve had,” lamented Hammell.
“We created a lot of chances and were dominant in the second half but again Aberdeen go up the pitch and score. Any chance that fell to us today by and large we didn’t take them.
“I think we had most of the second half but it’s fine margins in the game when you’ve been on the wrong end of it.
“We scored a goal, created chances and were in the game but again we have conceded a sloppy goal and it’s been pretty consistent in the way things have went recently.
“We’ve played Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen in six days.
“It’s not an excuse but I think the game midweek took it out some of the boys. We had pretty much the same starting 11 and we had to ask them to go again.”