Penalty call turned match on its head for Ross County against Hibernian
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Coll Donaldson says Ross County’s match against Hibernian turned on its head because of refereeing decisions.
Hibs had been the better side in the first half in Dingwall, but rarely threatened Ross Laidlaw’s goal – in fact their best chance came from a defensive error from Leo Hjelde.
The Staggies then took the initiative after the restart, with Billy Mckay finding the net minutes into the second half for a second week in-a-row.
Unlike against Kilmarnock though, when County scored again and all but put the game to bed, this time things swung in the other direction.
Martin Boyle won a dubious penalty before levelling the scores from the spot himself.
Boyle would go on to be the centre of the following controversy, getting booked for a challenge on Hjelde.
Immediately afterwards, he appeared to throw himself to the ground, but John Beaton decided against showing him a second yellow card, and Hibs would go on to score the winner through Kevin Nisbet.
“It was a really hard one to take,” Donaldson admitted.
“The penalty turns things upside down straight away. From my angle, I didn’t think it was a penalty.
“From that point of view it’s disappointing that a game swings on a refereeing decision.
“To be honest, I’m not usually one that speaks about referees, because they make mistakes, but it seems to be quite common now that it’s costing us.
“In the position we’re in, these are big points and big moments in games that we can’t have going against us.
“I’m sitting here wondering when we are going to start getting those decisions going forward.
“Even the one where Boyle dives – I’m not coming out saying he’s a diving so-and- so, but he does dive – the referee doesn’t book him.
“That’s how penalties get given, because players aren’t getting booked for going down like that, and then we’re chasing the game.”
