Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell has called for clarity on two key incidents in his side’s 4-2 defeat to Rangers.
Fashion Sakala’s crucial goal which put Rangers 2-1 up and Calum Slattery’s sending off for trying to fend off Cantwell with his arm were both put under the microscope after controversy at Fir Park.
The Sakala decision was marginal at best while Slattery appeared very unlucky to receive a booking for what looked an innocent tussle.
And Kettlewell will be looking for some explaination in the hours ahead over the decision making of referee Nick Walsh.
He said: “I need some clarity. The Sakala offside for the third goal which was a massive moment in the game.
“I’d also like clarity on Calum Slattery’s second yellow card. There’s contact but he’s trying to protect the ball and he’s not got awareness of the guy behind him and the contact’s made on Cantwell’s shoulder.
“That becomes really frustrating.
“I’m not calling anybody out, I’m genuinely asking for clarity. But the third goal it looks to me that our player Dan Casey is the blue line which is behind the red line which is Sakala from the pictures I’ve seen.
“From what I’ve seen it looks like he’s offside. We never berated the referee or the fourth official, we’re not hammering the system in any way, but it’s a big goal at a big time.”
Officials aside, Kettlewell was delighted with what his side brought to what wasn an enthralling battle.
He said: “I thought we were really good at what we wanted to do in the game. In the first half we limited Rangers to virtually nothing. When you play against a team of that quality, you have to be happy with that first chunk of it.
“We scored a brilliant goal ourselves from something we’d identified but the second half opened up a bit and the game hinged on some big calls.”
