Inverness 1 - 1 Livingston: Anger over Iain Vigurs red card

Inverness' Iain Vigurs is sent off for a high boot on Dylan Mackin of Livingston. Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS

The home side, leading through Aaron Doran, were forced to play the end of the first and whole of the second half with ten men after Iain  Vigurs took a second booking for a high foot.

Vigurs had launched  himself at the ball to try and cut it back across goal,  catching Dylan Mackin on the head as he attempted to clear.

Robertson felt home dominance was undone by the  decision, although Alan Lithgow only broke the hosts’ resistance with eight minutes left.

The Caley Thistle manager said: “The officials have got to understand, first and foremost, the context of [Vigurs high boot]. The ball was going out for a goal kick and all Iain was trying to do was hook it back in. Iain says there was no contact with the boy but the referee was saying it was a reckless challenge.

“How can it be a reckless challenge when all he was trying to do was hook the ball back off the line? It’s nonsense.”

Doran, back after a long recovery from two knee injuries, was starting his first match in almost a calendar year – and within six minutes had marked it with a goal.

After great build-up play,  Vigurs laid the ball across to the Dubliner who curled a lovely low right-foot shot beyond the reach of diving Neil Alexander from 20 yards.

But then Vigurs took a yellow card for a tug on an opponent and dissent after 36 minutes – and he was off six  minutes later.

A Coll Donaldson cross was met by the head of Gary  Warren. Alexander saved but as the ball spun away Vigurs’ high foot was deemed to have caught Mackin on the head.

The second booking sent  Vigurs packing – Caley Thistle’s third red card in three games and seventh of the  season. With just eight minutes left, Livingston mustered the equaliser.

Rafael de Vita’s free-kick from the right whistled into the area and defender Alan  Lithgow flicked it on high past keeper Mark Ridgers at pace.