Neil Lennon was convinced that Celtic should have left Ibrox with something to show for their efforts.
For an hour Celtic were clearly the better team but failed to convert their possession into clear chances or more importantly goals then were hit by a sucker punch soon after Nir Bitton was sent off.
The red card was borderline, not an ordering off based on Bobby Madden’s reading of an earlier incident when Alfredo Morelos avoided any colour of card for raking his studs down Jeremie Frimpong’s legs.
Incidents like that are common place in Scottish football with Celtic paying the price for not speaking out after Mark Connolly did likewise to Odsonne Edouard at Tannadice while Devante Cole was yellow carded for stamping on Frimpong’s thigh at Fir Park.
Refereeing decisions have gone uncontested with Madden far from consistent at Ibrox today.
Today’s match was about winning, hard luck stories aren’t recorded in league tables.
It’s bitterly disappointing, as we were the better team. I thought we were outstanding up until the red card, which I don’t think was a red card, I think it was a poor decision.
We were the better team, we dominated, we made them look ordinary, we were far sharper, crisper, quicker, stronger. Guys like Frimpong, Tunrbull, Christie, McGregor, they were all outstanding for the first hour or so. And then you’ve got to rejig things and they get a huge break with the goal as well. Barkas has had nothing to do, he hasn’t had a save to make. Allan McGregor was the stadium Man of the Match, which I think speaks volumes for our performance today.
We need to win the games in hand and then take it from there. We need to win every game from here on in as best we can. I’m just frustrated that we’ve, maybe, shot ourselves in the foot a little bit in one moment.
