Referee was right to chalk off goal - Reid

Nov 1 2007 By Andy McGilvray

HAMILTON boss Billy Reid this week insisted referee Craig Thomson was right to disallow Morton’s controversial ‘equaliser’ on Saturday, saying it would have been an injustice had the goal stood.

Reid says Hamilton’s training video clearly shows Chris Templeman punching the ball into the back of the net and the SFA have viewed that footage.

But as Morton manager Jim McInally and various pundits rail against the decision, Reid is 100 per cent. convinced the correct decision was made.

He said: “Chris Templeman has, in no doubt, punched the ball into the net and then celebrated as if it is a legitimate goal, and that is incredible. I felt sorry for Morton at the time, but if you look at it, the goal was deservedly chalked off.

“The way he ran away at the time I had no inkling that he had handled it. I think you have to applaud the referee and assistant because they reached the right decision.

“How they went about that isn’t 100 per cent. clear but the important thing is that they got it right.”

Reid added: “The controversy has gone on a wee bit longer than it should have done and you’ll notice that we haven’t said anything about it until now.

“Morton are aggrieved, but I think if they see the video evidence that I have, they will have to admit that he punched it. I can assure you that the correct decision has been made.”

Once the dust had settled on a stormy end to the match, Reid was able to reflect on what was a decent 1-0 win over the Cappielow side, with an excellent goal by teenager James McCarthy.

The Accies boss said: “I thought some of our first-half play was outstanding. Some of the play by James McCarthy, David Winters, James McArthur and Alex Neil was great, while Richard Offiong made a couple of smashing runs.

“We should have finished them off before half-time but Morton are a stubborn side. They’re well-drilled, keep working hard and that showed. They’re not on 14 points for nothing.”

He added: “We’ve been encouraging ‘young’ James (McCarthy), and ‘old’ James (McArthur) to get forward more.

“As an attacking midfielder, my assistant Stuart Taylor has been working with them on their runs, and it’s starting to pay off. They’re both scoring goals. McCarthy has three league goals in eight games and that’s healthy.”

Hamilton go into Saturday’s clash with Queen of the South without Stuart Taylor, who was red-carded by referee Thomson on Saturday for comments made to linesman Ross Haswell during the furore at the end of the match.

Reid knows it’s going to be tough, even though Queens are currently propping up the league, and said: “There are times when we’re going to need to be patient. Sometimes you’ve just got to keep playing away and there will be days when things don’t go for you.

“There’s another team trying to stop you playing out there, and Morton did that, but I thought we were patient and got our reward.

“That’s now eight clean sheets in 11 league games and we’re delighted. Results went for us on Saturday and we’re now six points clear. It’s been a great start for us.”