Former English Premier League whistler Dermot Gallagher insists James Sands should have been sent packing against Ross County.
The Rangers midfielder pulled down Jordy Hiwula as the Staggies striker raced away on the break be he avoided any punishment from referee Don Robertson for the flashpoint incident. The USA international had already been booked early on but he was judged not to have even committed a foul.
Gallagher - looking over the incident as part of his Ref Watch segment - reckons the man in the middle called that one wrong. He HAD to give Sands his marching orders and reduce Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side to ten-men. Gallagher told Sky Sports: “The referee didn’t think it was a foul but if he gives a foul it’s a straight red card. At worst it would be a second yellow but the referee plays on so he doesn’t think it’s a foul but I actually do. I think it’s a foul and a straight red card.”
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Ross County boss Malky Mackay vented his fury over the key decision following the 4-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox. He believes the whole dynamic of the game changes if Sands is sent packing by Robertson.
He said: "Jordi rolls him and James Sands puts his arms round him then falls with him, and should have been sent off. It's a straight red. If it's not a red then I don't know why it's not a second yellow because he's already been booked.
"Rangers take him off at half-time, so it's clear as day for me. So it's frustrating.
"These decisions are huge. Last week we got two players retrospectively sent off by the Scottish FA, and we lose two players for today.
"Then a decision like that happens, it's a huge decision for the referee to not get correct today. I thought it was pretty clear.
"There is nobody blocking views. It was one vs one with 40 yards behind him.
"So it's one of those things, it's frustrating. It's a situation that is clear as day, and Rangers take him off at half-time.
"The referee is saying to me at full-time if I've got it wrong I'll give you a call. What we needed was the correct decision.
"He rolls him, he doesn't touch him, Jordi is one vs one with the goalkeeper after 17 minutes. If he pulls him down then it's a sending off and they are down to 10 men.
"That changes the dynamics of the game. It's always going to be tough here, but we need big decisions to be done correctly."
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