Kettlewell feels frustrated after damaging defeat at Hamilton

Posted Saturday, April 28, 2018 by PA

Ross County co-manager Stuart Kettlewell was left frustrated with the officials after seeing his side lose 2-0 to Hamilton in a bottom-of-the-table clash.

The Staggies are now six points away from safety after they were comfortably beaten at the SuperSeal Stadium – but the decision of referee Bobby Madden not to show a red card in the first minute left Kettlewell bemused.

Darian MacKinnon was booked after just 20 seconds for a high boot on Jamie Lindsay, and it could have easily been more serious for the Accies midfielder as his opposite number was left needing extended treatment on the pitch.

“I would like somebody to explain to me how it’s not a red card in the first few minutes of the game,” Kettlewell said. “If that’s not endangering an opponent, I don’t know what it is.

“From where I’m standing, that’s seriously endangering an opponent and it doesn’t matter what stage of the game it’s at.

“I don’t want to make excuses, that’s not why we lost the game, we lost the game because we didn’t play in a manner we expected to.”

He added: “I spoke to the linesman and asked the question – and he almost scoffed and said it was no way a red card, which leaves me speechless.

“I don’t want to make it a side issue. We lost the game because Hamilton were better than us in the second half.”

After a bleak first-half, Dougie Imrie opened the scoring for the hosts after Marcus Fraser was penalised for holding Lewis Ferguson from a corner inside the area – but Kettlewell had no complaints with that decision.

“No complaints for me for the penalty. It is a penalty,” he said.

It was an important three points for Hamilton, who were in danger of being dragged back into the relegation fight following defeat to Partick Thistle last week.

However, they now sit five points clear of the bottom two with three games to play after David Templeton wrapped up the win after being played through by Danny Redmond to seal another fine individual performance.

On the red card incident, Canning said: “Some referees might give that as a red card. The fact it was so early in the game, maybe it isn’t.

“I have been saying for a while that things even themselves out and we were due a break.”

On the game, he added: “With games running out, every game is a massive three points and with three to go, the points at this stage of the season are priceless.

“We have to go and do it again next week but in terms of today, I thought we played well and deserved to win the game.”