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Madden is accused

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Bobby Madden has been accused of ignoring a player lying motionless with a head knock.

Keith Watson of Ross County was flat out in the penalty box as Ayr United scored their third goal on Saturday with Steven Ferguson sent to the stand for complaining. The Dingwall club did fight back to earn a 3-3 draw.

Any time that a player suffers a head knock the referee should bring the game to a halt but Madden decided to keep play going.

Ferguson was reported by the linesman to the FIFA listed referee who duly sent him to the stand to watch the remainder of the match.

Co manager Stuart Kettlewell witnessed the incident first hand and is now resigned to being on his own in the dug out.

Ayr’s third one is just incredible,” Kettlewell told The Sun. “Keith Watson was laid out in the middle of the penalty area having not moved for a few seconds, yet play wasn’t stopped for the head-knock.

We’ve a few bugbears off the back of Saturday in terms of decision-making but, you know what? Player safety is massive.

What springs into my mind was the condition of Gary Mackay-Steven in the League Cup Final against Celtic.

“The game is stopped immediately and, when it comes to head injuries, you have to be sure, so we’re told.

“It doesn’t matter that Keith Watson has been really brave to put his head in there to block the ball.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if it is a kick, an elbow or a ball to the head, if you’re lying there motionless for a period of time, the game stops. It’s as simple as that.”

Kettlewell added: “We felt a bit aggrieved. Steven can speak for himself, but we can’t get an answer as to why he was sent to the stand.

He did not swear at the referee or linesman, or say anything untoward.

He was just making the case that Keith Watson was down motionless and they never stopped the game but I’m standing there and there was nothing derogatory towards the linesman or referee.

We were asking the question why hadn’t they stopped the game.

This will all get lost in it, again, and Steven will probably end up with a touchline ban, but I can genuinely say there was no specific reason for it. We just need to wait and see what happens.”

Madden is back in action tonight at the Celtic v Motherwell match.

In his last Celtic appointment he failed to punish Scott McKenna for a two footed lunge at Odsonne Edouard that forced the striker out of that match.

McKenna was later given a two match retrospective ban by the SFA.

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