Hibs: Alan Stubbs wants Mark Oxley yellow card rescinded

Hibs goalkeeper Mark Oxley was substituted after losing a contact lens. Picture: Craig Foy/SNS

Oxley was booked by referee Stephen Finnie during the Easter Road side’s 2-1 win in Wednesday night’s quarter-final replay against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Having picked up a yellow card in the victory over Hearts in the previous round he will be hit by an automatic ban, as will team-mate James Keatings who was cautioned in both games against John Hughes’ team.

But Stubbs was left raging at Finnie’s decision to penalise Oxley for time-wasting. He is adamant his player had lost a contact lens, revealing fourth official Nick Walsh was fully aware of the situation, and is now demanding that common sense prevail to allow him to face Dundee United in the semi at Hampden on 16 April.

As the rules stand Hibs can’t appeal the booking but Stubbs wants the case looked at again, revealing he had to replace the goalkeeper with debutant Otso Virtanen because Oxley couldn’t see properly.

Stubbs said: “There was confusion around the situaion and I don’t really know what the ref has booked him for. If he’d been booked for feigning injury or simulation then it’s clear that wasn’t the case. He’s lost a contact lens and that, for me, is an injury. He was impared and couldn’t see properly out of one eye – which is important for a goalkeeper – and we had to bring him off.

Stubbs revealed he’ll be looking at Finnie’s report for his explanation.

“We want to see exactly what he was booked for and that will determine our next step. We will look at all of these things and if there is a case for us, and hopefully there is, we will look to see if we can appeal.”