Micky Mellon has slammed Bobby Madden for strutting around at Hampden while missing key decisions as Dundee United lost 2-0 to Hibs in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup.
The Dundee United boss was feeling sore about Chris Doidge’s decisive second goal which was clearly offside but missed by Madden and his assistant.
Since the arrival of Hugh Dallas referee’s have raised their profile, clearly feeling that they are part of the attraction of the game.
Madden’s need for attention saw him failing to self-isolate in February following a European jolly to Greece, it was only when the Scottish Sun got in touch with the SFA that he was pulled out of a Ross County v Celtic match in which he intended to endanger the health of players.
Looking at his side’s Hampden defeat Mellon told The Sun:
You’ve got to get those calls right. They strut about all afternoon, they don’t take control of the time-wasting or the gamesmanship – and those are things you expect to be dealt with by the ref.
He never did that all day but you’ve got to be careful what you say because you get yourself into trouble and I’m not prepared to do that. But when it’s 1-0 you’re still very much in the game.
You know you’re going to get into a time in the game when it becomes tense and if you can take the game into that tense place you’ll get an opportunity to maybe get that equaliser that takes the game into a different stage.
Listen, I have to be honest and say Hibs were worthy of going to the final but those wee moments have to go your way – and you expect them to get dealt with better.
With Willie Collum getting today’s semi-final between St Mirren and St Johnstone it looks like Kevin Clancy or John Beaton will get the final with Clancy favourite after Beaton got the Celtic v Hearts final in December.
