Neil Lennon has defended Scott Brown after his skipper was red carded against Motherwell.
Brown will be suspended from Sunday’s clash with Rangers after picking up a second yellow card for a challenge on Motherwell full-back Steven Hammell.
Referee Stephen Finnie had a nightmare performance and didn’t need any encouragement to flash the red card at the Celtic captain.
“If you see it again, I think Scott tried to pull out of the tackle and Hammell kicked him on the follow through,” Lennon claimed.
“He is pulling away and he slipped so it was totally accidental and I am very disappointed with that decision – among many that I was disappointed with tonight.
“It’s two yellow cards so I don’t know if we can appeal or not but if you think I am going to talk about referees then you can forget it.
“You all saw the performance tonight and you will have your opinions on it, I will keep mine to myself. Brown was immense. He is frustrated and it will be a blow to him and us.”
Brown will join Gary Hooper, Shaun Maloney and Daryl Murphy on the sidelines on Sunday with new bhoy Olivier Kapo also missing after picking up a hamstring injury tonight.
Kapo’s replacement, Murphy, also picked up an injury which saw Biram Kayal introduced after 55 minutes with the Israeli looking a certain starter at Ibrox.
Looking at the win over Motherwell Lennon added: “It was a big win for us and obviously we will have a few casualties for Sunday.
“We have lost Murphy but Georgios Samaras will be fit, he pulled out because of a virus and we still have attacking options in James Forrest, Niall McGinn, Anthony Stokes and obviously Paddy, who was fantastic.
“Kapo tweaked his hamstring, I thought he was excellent and we will see the extent of that injury.
“Beram Kayal got a fat lip but and we were worried he might need stitches but I think he will be okay.
“I think the substitutions disrupted the fluency,we lost Murphy and we weren’t as fluent as in the first half.
“Some of the play in the first half was fantastic and we should have been comfortably ahead and once again it was a bit of magic again from Paddy.
“It is a huge boost being top of the league, we know Rangers have two games in hand but it will give the players a bit of momentum. I’m very pleased we won the game tonight.”
Paddy McCourt’s first half goal lifted Celtic a point ahead of Rangers at the top of the table although Walter Smith’s side have two games in hand.
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One of the worst refereeing performances of the past two years and to hold that record you have to be bad.
So bhoys don’t expect to get any decisions at ibrokes on Sunday cos we’re gonna have to pay for Dallas and McDonald.
so lets all know our place and except defeat like good Timmy’s should.
http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=14u9ypw&s=7
Unbelievable…
First time I have seen it. Shocking decision, apparently one of many. What is the linesman doing as well?
Hard to select a team to stand up to their physical presence on Sunday. Let’s hope the old saying that “a good little ‘un will always beat a good (or dirty) big ‘un” is proven correct.
Come on the Bhoys!!