Seeing red as Shotts down to seven men

Oct 13 2011 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

REFEREES took centre-stage in the Super First Division on Saturday as indiscipline resulted in a flurry of red cards across Lanarkshire, with controversy seldom far away.

Shotts Bon Accord were reduced to eight men for the last half-hour of their 2-0 defeat against Rutherglen Glencairn – with a fourth dismissal before the end.

Right-back Gerry McKenna led the dismissals as he was sent off for the first time in his career.

On the hour-mark John Boyack saw red for only the second time in a lengthy career, and he was followed into the dressing room moments later by Paul Burns, who collected a second booking.

Tom Hanlon was a fourth to be dismissed late in the game.

Manager Tony McInally said: “I will take full responsibility for our team discipline, but I hope the Association and the referee supervisor at the game respond in a similar way with referee Derek Crowthers.

“It was quite a good game with only one bad tackle and I thought we did reasonably well considering that Glens only scored their second goal eight minutes from time when we were down to seven men.”

It was equally dramatic at Dalry where a head injury to Thorniewood goalkeeper Jon Connelly saw the game abandoned in stoppage time.

The visitors were 2-1 ahead with goals from Matthew Bennett and Stephen Mullen either side of a Dalry equaliser, but the abandonment possibly saved a dismissal for United.

Boss John Fallon explained: “In the 92nd minute Jon brought down a player and the referee was about to award a penalty and a possible red card.

“But Jon was out and it was agreed that we couldn’t move him as we dialled ‘999’.

“When the referee heard that it would take around 20 minutes for the ambulance to arrive from Crosshouse Hospital he decided to abandon the game.”

Connelly was detained overnight with concussion and allowed home on Sunday afternoon.

Somewhat less dramatically, Lanark twice held the lead at Cumbernauld but defensive errors saw them concede three second-half goals.

Alan McCrum put Lanark ahead in 25 minutes with a wonderful individual goal, and keeper Ross Hyslop produced a couple of good saves to keep his side in the lead at half-time.

But he was at fault in 50 minutes when he charged out for a free-kick, failed to collect, and the ball bounced off Chris Walker’s head and trickled into the net for the equaliser.

In 55 minutes the referee pointed to the spot after Alan McFadden appeared to be brought down, but after consulting with an assistant he changed his mind and awarded a corner instead.

Lanark won a second successive corner and when the ball was played in McFadden hammered it into the net.

Cumbernauld levelled in 59 minutes when Nick Boyle was given too much room to pick his spot, and a minute later Lanark were under pressure when Garry Gow was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

Cumbernauld grabbed the winner in 72 minutes when a series of defensive blunders allowed Gary Gibson to toe-poke the ball over the line.