Mark McGhee has defended Willie Collum despite claiming that the referee got it wrong by sending off Scott McDonald!
As soon as Collum sent off Michael O’Halloran in the fourth minute it was obvious that Motherwell were in for a tough afternoon with a sending off for the home side looking a certainty.
Ten minutes after O’Halloran’s ordering off he should have been joined in the dressing room by Rob Kiernan after a shocking straight leg over the ball ‘challenge’ on Steven Hammell.
Shortly afterwards McDonald was sent off for a foul on Kenny Miller after he overstretched to regain control of the ball near the halfway line. After treatment Miller returned to score the opening goal of the game.
Evening decisions up is second nature to most referees but McGhee didn’t want to suggest that about the golden boy of the Scottish refereeing circuit.
“Seeing it again, it’s probably a poor decision,” the Scotland assistant told the Daily Record. “But it’s not to even things up, he thinks it’s a sending off.
“I don’t have any fears over the ref. Yes, it’s the turning point and it’s an important decision, one he gets wrong but it is a decision, I don’t think it’s a balancing up of the game.
“The ball just gets away from Scott but he toes it away, his foot’s on the ground, it’s not a red.”
On Wednesday Sevco travel to Hearts without the suspended O’Halloran.