'The crowd are shouting, the referee gives it': Malky Mackay bemoans Ross County decision at Celtic

Ross County manager Malky Mackay took issue with his side being reduced to 10 men as they endured a 4-0 mauling at Celtic Park.

Ross County manager Malky Mackay during a cinch Premiership match between Celtic and Ross County at Celtic Park, on March 19, 2022, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Two minutes after going 3-0 down midway through the first period, Kayne Ramsay was sent off for a straight red card offence by referee Don Robertson when he jumped in on Tom Rogic. Mackay felt the punishment was harsh after re-watching the incident but praised his side for not crumbling to lose “by six or seven” in playing with a man short for an hour.

“I looked at it again quite quickly,” he said. “His right foot comes through and takes the ball, I didn’t think there was a tackle on that foot. His momentum coming through sees his left foot come off the ground and that gives the referee the sending off. Letter of the law you could say his feet are off the ground but I don’t think there was any malice in it.

“It’s not something he meant to do and he clearly got the ball and played it away with that touch. At that point the crowd are shouting the referee gives it. Could it have been a yellow? Yeah, maybe. I asked the referee if he was sure. He said the two feet were up off the ground. It’s one of those things, we get on with it.

“I’m disappointed with the way they scored. I have seen the way they play, some wonderful goals, but it was corners and set pieces today. It’s something we have been fairly strong on. At the same time we have to make sure we look at the perspective right now, where we are with two games before the split.

What we now have to do to give ourselves the best chance over the next couple of weeks [of making the top six].”

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