Ross County anger over stoppage time in defeat to Celtic in Premiership
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Malky Mackay was left frustrated by the amount of added time that was added at the end of Ross County’s defeat against Celtic.
The fourth official’s board showed a minimum of six minutes would be played in Dingwall, and by the time Celtic scored their winner through Anthony Ralston the match was into its 97th minute.
It was extremely tough on the Staggies to come away from the match empty-handed after a brilliant second half performance.
They went toe-to-toe with Celtic after the interval, but that ended up making it all the more frustrating that the winning goal against them came so late in the day.
“They scored in the seventh minute of added time, and I don’t know how that happened,” Mackay said.
“Seven minutes is an interesting one. It felt at one point as if we would keep playing until they scored.
“I’m proud of my players running Celtic as close as they did.
“You could hear from their celebrations that they were lucky to come away with the three points.
“I will definitely look at that and see the progression from where we were at the start of the season to where we are now where we’re taking on the Old Firm toe-to-toe.
“Our two defeats in our last seven games have come against them, but we’re scoring against them, and we knew that we could hurt Celtic.
“It’s fine lines, you could see how relieved Celtic were to get the win and it’s a measure of where Ross County have come this season that we’re running the Old Firm as close as that.”
Another negative for the Staggies that may have been overlooked given the timing and disappointment of the winning goal was that Harry Paton was forced off the pitch in the first half with an apparent injury.
County will hope it is not too serious, with Mackay saying: “One of the ones where he got an absolute whack in the back of his calf – but for some reason the referee decided to play on – it has swollen up.
“It meant he couldn’t run, and with that being the case we had to take him off.
“It was unfortunate and not something we want, but it’s why we’ve got players on the bench that have to go on and make sure they’ve got a role in this to play as well.
“As I say, it’s a measure of where they are right now that we’re disappointed to be beaten by Celtic.”
