DEREK McInnes has questioned why referee David Dickinson added on eight minutes at the end of the first-half during Kilmarnock’s match against Rangers at Ibrox this afternoon.
The Rugby Park club were leading 1-0 at the end of the opening 45 minutes in the cinch Premiership encounter in Govan thanks to James Tavernier’s own goal.
But Dickinson, who had made two VAR checks on his pitchside monitor, allowed play to continue and Fabio Silva netted an equaliser shortly before he blew his whistle for half-time.
McInnes, who felt the red card which his centre half Joe Wright was shown for a handball on the goal line was "extremely harsh", was perplexed about where the match official found so much extra time.
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He felt the Silva leveller gave Rangers a huge lift at a critical stage in proceedings and, coupled with the ordering off of his defender, made it difficult for Kilmarnock to get a result.
“It was good character and personality to get ourselves in front against the odds,” he said following the 4-1 defeat. “Scoring the first goal is magic for that.
“Any time Rangers played in front of us we were absolutely fine. I didn’t think they were moving the ball quick enough to cause us problems. We showed good aggression and confidence. I thought we looked like the team in that early part of the game that we have been all season.
“There is no doubt it has hit Joe’s arm, but I think it is accidental although he stopped a goal-scoring opportunity. Penalty yes, sending off? If that is the rule then it is the rule, but I am not sure it should be the rule.”
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McInnes added: “I thought it was extremely harsh given the circumstances. I don’t think he has deliberately swung his hand out to stop a goal. The penalty would have sufficed.
“Obviously Will (goalkeeper Dennis) makes the save and there’s eight minutes of added time. I know there were two or three VAR checks, but eight minutes seemed quite a lot.
“I spoke to the fourth official and he said 30 seconds to go and that was in the lead up. So it was the very last seconds of the half when we have one situation that we need to defend better.
“To score a goal off that, to see it trundle into the goal, gives Rangers a lift, gives the crowd a lift and I think it is a different team talk in both dressing rooms as a consequence of that.”
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