Blunder ref handed Pars penalty opener, says Airdrie boss

Rhys McCabe says referee Peter Stuart was too quick to point to the spot, but was pleased with his side's reaction

Airdrie boss Rhys McCabe says blunder ref Peter Stuart handed Dunfermline a penalty in their 1-1 Championship draw at New Broomfield.

While McCabe doesn’t want to deflect attention away from the game or the point, he says they have watched the Pars’ penalty opener back, and reckon that keeper Murray Johnson has saved the shot before appearing to foul Aaron Comrie.

Chris Kane stepped up to confidently net the penalty and sent Dunfermline into a half-time lead, with Mason Hancock’s 67th-minute header rescuing a point for the Diamonds.

But McCabe said: “In my opinion, and I’ve watched it back, we were unlucky – it’s not a penalty.

“We’ve watched it back on the video and yes, there’s contact, but after Murray’s already saved it.

“He’s not deliberately gone out [to foul him], he’s rounded the keeper, made himself big, the ball has been deflected wide for a corner and that should have been the decision, but he’s given the penalty.

“I try not to make excuses, I try to look at ourselves first, but I didn’t think the referee had a good game today – and that’s me being honest.

“If I look back on decisions and it’s a clear penalty, I hold my hands up, but it’s a big decision in the game and in this league that’s massive.

“If we get that first goal then who knows how the game swings.

“But there were a few decisions even in the game where he seemed to be desperate to get a card out for our players, and they’re soft fouls.

“It was very stop-start and I thought he could have managed the game a wee bit better.

“But its one of those things. You get good performances, bad performances, but much better from us today and gradual steps, going forward.

“We’re a wee bit frustrated on that side, that we end up being a goal behind, and almost chasing our tails a little bit.

“But the reaction was good, intensity and energy levels were good, so I’m pleased.”

McCabe was pleased with a point that halts a run of three defeats on the bounce, but says his players felt they had dropped two points.

He said: “The boys in there feel that it’s two points dropped, but we were a goal behind and to get a positive reaction and stop that rut a wee bit is good.

“There are loads of fundamentals in that performance there that we can take real pride and credit from.

“It’s not going to be a thing where we’ve come off the back of a few defeats and all of a sudden we start hitting eight or nine goals and playing this amazing style of football.

“It will take a bit of time to build the confidence and stuff, but there were signs there today that we’re willing to do that.”

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