Neil Lennon is used to being called furious, last night he had every reason to be when Jim Duffy who is widely regarded as one of the game’s nice guys stepped well out of line.
Tempers didn’t fray at Easter Road- they exploded as Hibs and Morton drew 0-0 to leave the Edinburgh side ten points clear at the top of The Championship with six matches left to play.
Forget Joshua v Klitschko – Neil Lennon v Jim Duffy is the fight of the year.
(???? via @alirv5)pic.twitter.com/WDpHjs01nv
— The Sack Race (@thesackrace) March 30, 2017
Morton have a game in hand but all eyes will be on Cappielow next Saturday when the two teams meet again in a match that is bound to be explosive.
The flash-point came in stoppage time when Morton substitute Kudus Oyenuga slid in late and dangerously on Jordan Forster right in front of the Hibs dug out.
As Lennon shouted his justifiable anger at the striker Duffy decided to wade in by coming over to confront Lennon backed up by a couple of his players.
The Hibs boss claimed that Duffy wanted a square go with both men sent to the stand by referee Nick Walsh.
CLICK PANEL for Lennon’s media conference.
NEIL LENNON ON DUFFY
After watching one of his players suffer a late and dangerous challenge then have a rival manager challenge him Neil Lennon wasn’t going to walk away.
Explaining what happened he said: “I reacted in the way any manager would. It was disgraceful and the Morton boy’s behaviour was embarrassing.
“He tried to break my player’s leg then got my captain sent off in an act of cowardice. I have to take that? No, sorry! No wonder I was angry.
“I’m not having that. He [Duffy] has come all the way from his technical area to mine. I didn’t do anything but shout at his player, which I had every right to do. He would do the exact same thing.”
CLICK PANEL for Duffy’s media conference
JIM DUFFY ON LENNON
The normally confident Morton boss was on the defensive as he explained his role in the flare up throwing in a few digs to compare his disciplinary record with Lennon’s.
Duffy said: “He (Oyenuga) would have probably given a red card but unfortunately their bench reacted then our bench reacted – including myself. One or two things were said. It was a bit of a melee then the referee sent us both to the stands.
“It’s something new to me. I’ve been in football a long time and I’ve never been sent to the stand before tonight.
“It’s my first time but it’s always good to lose your virginity, eventually but there were no punches thrown. If I throw a punch you would know about it.
“It was people with passion getting in a few verbals. I’m not defending it but from my point of view it was no more than that.
“I don’t know what happens now. I’ve never been in this situation before so I don’t know how it works. Maybe I should ask Lenny.
“I know myself I’m as much to blame for getting involved but I’d like to see my team get credit for an outstanding point here.”