Incredible incompetence from Iain Brines
Highlighting a performance where he never really got on top of the game was an incident in the closing minutes when St Johnstone defender Michael Duberry clearly handled the ball twice in the penalty area with Brines waving play on.
After a Georgios Samaras cross towards goal was blocked the ball broke back towards Duberry under pressure from Samaras.
The former Chelsea defender stumbled under pressure from the Celtic forward and clearly grabbed the ball to prevent Samaras gaining possession.
Virtually conceeding that he had given away a penalty he then leans on the ball to get back up but finds that Brines has missed the incident and continues with play.
“Duberry goes down, he then handles the ball,” BBC commentator Paul Mitchell said. “If that’s not a free kick it’s a penalty.
“The referee wasn’t interested in a free kick nor was he interested in giving Celtic a penalty.
“There was a touch here for Samaras on Duberry, he goes down, he handles the ball again.”
On his return to the dug out Neil Lennon could only look on in amazement at Brines decision.
“It’s a clear cut penalty,” the Celtic boss said. “If he doesn’t give a free kick against Georgios then he has to give the penalty, he just used the two hands.”
With no access to the match observor’s report Lennon, the fans at McDiarmid Park and ESPN viewers will be left in the dark by the SFA about Brines thoughts on the matter.
Paul McBride- the SFA look beyond stupid
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