Neil Lennon accuses Morton player of '˜trying to break leg'

Hibernian head coach Neil Lennon claimed Morton's Kudus Oyenuga tried to break Jordon Forster's leg after the striker's tackle in the team's 0-0 draw at Easter Road, which eventually resulted in four sendings off, writes Aidan Smith.

Darren McGregor, later sent off himself, Hibs head coach Neil Lennon, centre, and Morton boss Jim Duffy during the flare-up. Picture: Ross MacDonald/SNS

A furious Lennon, who was sent to the stand along with Morton counterpart Jim Duffy and Easter Road defender Darren McGregor, said: “The guy tried to break my player’s leg and then Darren McGregor goes over and he feigns a head butt. Darren didn’t make any contact.

“The next thing I’ve got the Morton manager asking for a square go, which is fair enough – I’m not going to back down. Then I’ve got their assistant manager, then I’ve got the Morton players.

“But the story will be ‘Bad old Lenny. Lenny’s fault, Lenny started it’ – all that rubbish. I didn’t react differently to any other manager faced with a tackle like that. It’s disgraceful. The boy’s behaviour was embarrassing. It was an act of cowardice. And I have to take that? Sorry, I won’t.”

After the tackle, Oyenuga was first to be sent off by referee Nick Walsh, followed by McGregor after a clash with the English forward, then the two managers after they had squared up.

Duffy said: “There was a poor challenge and the referee was going to deal with it. It was a red card, a reckless tackle.

“But then their bench reacted and our bench reacted. Things were said. There was a melee and I was sent to the stand.

“That’s the first time that’s happened to me in football. I suppose it’s always good to lose your virginity at some point.”

Duffy quipped that maybe he would have to speak to the fiery Hibs manager to find out about how any punishment will be meted out by the SFA.

It was suggested to Duffy that punches had been thrown during the incident but he claimed he had not seen any. “Believe me, if I’d thrown a punch you would know about it,” added the former Hibs manager.

The draw left leaders Hibs ten points ahead of the Greenock side at the top of the Championship.

Morton’s point took them ahead of Falkirk into second place in the table, with a game in hand over the Bairns.