Penalty Snub ‘Incredible’ Says Hartley

[TheDarkBlues]

‘Never mind one penalty, we should have had two!’ — that’s the view of Dundee boss Paul Hartley.

The gaffer was outraged at some of the decisions made by referee Bobby Madden during the Dark Blues’ 1-1 home draw with St Johnstone on Saturday.

In particular, his calls on what Paul believes were two ‘stone-wall’ penalty claims, one in either half.

“Decisions changed the game,” said Paul. “We should have had two penalties — the first one is a stone-waller.

“Clarkson has gone down and it should be a penalty and a red card.

“He hasn’t given it which to me is a strange decision. In fact, it’s incredible. Clarkson is a goalscorer — he wants to score goals. He wouldn’t go down like that.

“It was a big call to book him, too — Clarky was then walking a tightrope.”

On the decision not to award a spot-kick after Greg Stewart was seemingly chopped down in the area in the second period, he added:

“The one on Stewart was a penalty, too.

“Our lads are an honest bunch and they’ve come in saying it was a clear penalty. He’s been brought down.”

In fairness, some of the decisions taken by Madden were baffling for both sides.

The sticking point for Paul is that the outcome could have been very different had he made the right call early doors.

“We dominated them with 11 men for a period, it would have been hard for them with 10,” said Paul.

“I’ve never asked for an explanation because you are full of emotion at the break and at the end.

“You can’t really speak to refs.

“We picked up too many yellow cards, gave away too many fouls, so in that sense it was a bad day at the office.

“If he is getting assessed, they will see there were some bad decisions on the day.”

As Hartley stated himself, decisions change games.

He has no complaints about the award of Saints’ penalty just eight minutes into the second 45 but he does think that spelled the beginning of the end for his side.

“I have no complaints about their penalty,” said Paul. “It was a clear penalty.

“In the first half I thought we were outstanding. We had some great opportunities.

“In the second half, their penalty and goal seemed to spook us and from then on we didn’t get going.”
 
Orginial Source Dundee Evening Telegraph

Referee’s decision overshadowed Dundee’s game