Dundee Utd 0 - 0 Kilmarnock: Skelton not complaining after Killie denied penalty

Published on Sunday 19 April 2009 23:23

GAVIN Skelton refused to point the finger of blame at the referee for failing to award Kilmarnock a penalty and admitted it was probably his own fault that he was not given the spot-kick which could have won them the match at Tannadice.

Skelton appeared to be tripped in the box by Garry Kenneth in the first half of the Premier League clash but no penalty was forthcoming from match official Willie Collum. And, although manager Jim Jefferies and his assistant Billy Brown both reacted in the dugout, there were no appeals from the Kilmarnock players, including Skelton.

Asked whether his reaction may have influenced the referee's decision, he admitted: "Probably, because you would expect to get a reaction from a player.

"It was a major decision in the game but I'm not going to criticise the referee. I would have to see it again.

"I didn't claim for it straight away and I think I was disappointed in myself. I took a bad touch and I was more disappointed in myself for not scoring.

"My first disappointment was not scoring, then the penalty. I'm not going to say this and that about the ref because I'm really not sure."

The goalless draw was enough to keep Kilmarnock six points clear of bottom side Falkirk and at arm's length from the drop zone for now.

With the teams in the bottom half of the table now set to play each other in the five remaining games after the league split, the Rugby Park side must now avoid being dragged any further into a relegation scrap.

"When you're in the bottom six, you play each other all the time so I'm not going to say that we need this or we need that," said Skelton.

"You just put pressure on yourself. I thought this was a good point, they are a good side and we just have to pick up as many points as we can.

"You don't set targets. We are two games unbeaten and we just want to take that into the last five games."

The game's other main moment of note was the red card dished out by referee Collum to United defender Paul Dixon for a foul on Danny Invincibile when the Kilmarnock striker was through on goal.

Craig Bryson drew a fine save from Lukasz Zaluska, the Dundee United goalkeeper, with a 25-yard effort, while the hosts failed to make their superior league position show on the field.

With third-placed Hearts also held to a draw by Falkirk on Saturday, Zaluska knows the stalemate with Kilmarnock was a missed opportunity for United. But he has refused to give up hope of finishing best of the rest behind the Old Firm.

He said: "Hearts drew as well so this was a very good chance for us to get the three points. But we still have to play against Hearts in the top six so it's still possible. We are still on course. We are in fourth place and there is still time left."