HIBERNIAN manager Neil Lennon said that it was fortunate he was already in the stand serving a touchline ban during last night’s 1-1 draw at St Johnstone, or he would have been on the receiving end of another notice of complaint following referee John Beaton’s performance.

Lennon was angry about the official’s leniency towards what he felt was an over-physical approach by the home side, and was particularly incensed by a cynical foul by Blair Alston on John McGinn as the midfielder broke away during a tousy second half.

“It’s a good job I was in the stand tonight,” said Lennon. “Because I don’t understand how St Johnstone ended the game with 11 men.

“Some of the challenges on my players in the second half were shocking. Disgraceful tackles. We did not get enough protection.

“I just have to be careful I didn’t get another one after tonight. Honestly, you guys watch it. It’s incredible. I get cynical tackling but that was way beyond the pale.

“It’s a red card. All day long. No attempt to play the ball. It’s reckless and endangered John’s well-being. It’s horrific. He’s looking straight at it. He told my captain he’s on one more. He brings John down again, he stays on the pitch.

“One of my players is going to get badly injured with tackles like that. We’re not getting protected enough and I’ve been saying it for long enough.”

Lennon had no complaints over the ordering off of his goalkeeper Ofir Marciano in the first half for handling outside of the area, and was full of praise for stand-in Cammy Bell who rescued a point for the visitors with a string of impressive stops.

The Hibs manager was gutted though for midfielder Dylan McGeouch, who looks as though he may miss out on his maiden Scotland squad after picking up an adductor injury in training that kept him out of the game.

‘We wanted to give him 24 hours,” he said. “Scotland may want to see him and that’s fine by me. I don’t know how long he’ll be out for, if at all.

“I fully trust Scotland. If they want to have a look at him, I’m happy to do that.”

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright meanwhile responded to Dundee manager Neil McCann’s claims that he had reported him to the SFA following last week’s clash with Zander Clark at Dens Park.

"That's not true," he said. "I think Neil should reflect on those comments.

"I spoke to the referee about the situation. I didn't say Neil McCann has to be done about this and I did not complain to the SFA.

"I think it is just another way of deflecting and apportioning the blame. He has said that Zander Clark grabbed him around the neck and that's not true."