Former referee Charlie Richmond blasts Kevin Clancy decisions in Rangers game
Kevin Clancy’s performance in the controversial draw between Aberdeen and Rangers on Tuesday was “poor” according to former league referee Charlie Richmond.
The game finished 1-1 at Pittodrie and saw Aberdeen awarded a penalty, and Ryan Kent sent off late on for two bookings, but the ex-top flight official has highlighted a number of poor decisions by the man in charge.
Richmond thinks Aberdeen should have had a penalty in the first half, and that Kent should not have been sent off, telling Football Scotland: “[Scott] Brown has played for it and Kevin has bought it.
“Overall, I thought he tried to referee the occasion rather than the actual game.
“Aberdeen vs Rangers is very volatile but when you look at the individual incidents, there’s a lot of things that he could have man managed.
“I thought he was a little inconsistent and had a poor game.”
The former ref also felt Jonny Hayes should have had a second booking for clashing with Borna Barisic, saying: “He’s not thrown his elbow but it’s made contact with Barisic’s face.
“I would say that it was a reckless and dangerous action and therefore, a second yellow card.”
Poor outing
Light Blues fans came away from the game aggrieved at having dropped points, and seeing their winger sent off for a soft second yellow thanks to the involvement of former-Celtic captain Brown.
The gloating from the Dons midfielder is sure to have wound up many around Gers, and the fact that Hayes was not dismissed will have been additionally infuriating.
Both Kent and Hayes had received bookings for a disagreement soon after the home side’s leveller, and it appears that while one of them should have subsequently been sent off, referee Clancy chose the wrong one.
But despite only managing a draw in their first game back after the winter break the Ibrox side will also be thankful the result was not even worse.
The Dons had a strong shout for a penalty in the first half when Allan McGregor made contact with Ryan Hedges just inside the penalty area.
With the game ultimately proving tight it would likely have proved to be the difference had the home side been given two attempts from the spot.
In other Rangers news, one of the primary antagonists from the Aberdeen clash sent a cheeky text message after the game.