Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson has called for a strong performance from referee Kevin Clancy in tonight’s vital Premiership match against Partick Thistle at Firhill.
Ferguson and co-manager Stuart Kettlewell were left puzzled when referee Bobby Madden failed to send off Hamilton midfielder Darian MacKinnon for catching Jamie Lindsay with a dangerously high foot after just 21 seconds of County’s 2-0 defeat at New Douglas Park last weekend.
Madden did produce a red card in controversial circumstances on Tuesday when Dunfermline’s Lee Ashcroft was dismissed in their 0-0 Premiership play-off draw against Dundee United.
The stakes are high in Glasgow tonight with bottom-of-the-table County trailing their opponents by two points with only three games remaining and Ferguson is demanding fairness from the officials.
Ferguson said: “Hopefully, the referee is strong in it, because we feel a little aggrieved when we watch back the tackle in the first minute of last week’s game.
“When we look at sending-offs elsewhere, we are comparing how one is a sending off and one isn’t.
“It’s that one again where players have got big decisions to make, and so do officials.
“Although we were told it was never a sending-off, I don’t think anyone could argue it was.
“Does that put a different complexion on the game? Yes, it does, but if things even themselves out they even themselves out.
“By no means are we using that as an excuse – that’s not the reason we didn’t win the game.
“This is not me having a go at referees – far from it. Just watching videos back this week, we have seen a completely different game.
“When it’s so obvious, it’s a little bit harder to take.
“We have faith in the officials to do the right thing and I’m sure that will happen.”
Ferguson has called for calm heads among the Dingwall squad as County pursue a vital victory, adding: “It’s an important game and we see it as an opportunity to get off the bottom of the league.
“Our fate is not sealed if we don’t win the game but we all know how difficult it’s going to be if we don’t win it.
“We said it was never going to be pretty at this stage of the season and it has proved that way.
“The games have not been for the purist but it’s important the players deal with the situation, deal with the game and have a calm head among the chaos.
“It’s easy to get caught up in the scrap and the fight. But what we need is that calm head, and composure in the final third of the pitch, in picking the right pass and making the right decisions.”