Steven McLean completed a nightmare week with another sub-standard performance in the St Mirren v Morton match on Saturday.
The highly rated SFA official was in charge at Hampden for the Betfred Cup semi-final between Motherwell and Sevco where he missed several elbowing incidents with Bruno Alves handed a two match retrospective ban.
On Tuesday he missed two clear penalty incidents in the Hamilton v Partick Thistle match with that pattern continuing in Paisley.
McLean awarded a penalty to each team and booked Saints striker Gavin Reilly for a dive that both managers agreed should have been a penalty.
St Mirren boss Jack Ross told The Sun: “Ross rapped: “It was a penalty. There’s absolutely no doubt it was a penalty – Gavin has a big cut on his knee.
“It was a poor decision. Steven had a disappointing match and it’ll be interesting to see where he’s refereeing next week.
“He won’t get as much criticism for getting decisions wrong in this match as he did last week but it’s a big decision at a big time.
“I have watched Morton’s penalty again, too, and it’s very, very soft. I have seen Steven have a lot better games but he’s had a tough week and maybe it’s taken its toll on him.”
Jim Duffy of Morton added: “I have to be honest. I had my heart in my mouth and I thought it was a penalty.
“The referee was up with play and booked Reilly, so it was a decision which I took with great delight.”
With a place on the FIFA list the SFA won’t be taking any serious action against McLean who can expect another Championship or League One fixture before being reintroduced to some low profile Premiership matches.
In 2015 he refereed the notorious Celtic v Inverness Caley Thistle Scottish Cup semi-final, a year later he was in charge of the Hibs v Sevco Scottish Cup Final.
