DUNDEE have endured plenty of results that have felt like a punch in the nether regions this season. Rarely, however, has that description been quite so literal. After seeing his side slip to a fifth successive defeat to remain bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership, Neil McCann launched into a remarkable tirade against referee John Beaton, who he accused of overlooking an eye-watering act of petulance by Anthony Stokes.
“Jack [Hendry] was punched in the balls,” the incandescent Dundee manager said in a rather unique post-match press conference, before apologising for his ‘profanity’.
One suspects he wanted to be far more profane.
A fiercely contested encounter at Easter Road erupted into controversy in the second period when Stokes appeared to strike Hendry in the midst of an ill-tempered melee the followed a clash between Ryan Porteous and Lewis Spence.
Assistant referee Kylie Cockburn and fourth official Graham Beaton were well positioned to see the incident and evidently advised whistler to book both men.
The remarkable scenes occurred with the match delicately balanced at 1-1 following goals from Martin Boyle and Marcus Haber and, to add insult to injury, Stokes provided the moment of quality which ultimately settled the contest, clipping a delightful pass for Simon Murray to volley home the winner.
“I know the fourth official has a clear view because he is standing next to me and I know Kylie can see it because she is looking down the same barrel,” McCann fumed. “Then John Beaton gives a yellow card – before booking MY player, who had been punched, too. After the game, John Beaton told me he goes on the information he has been given. That information was ‘the player has been struck by another player’ but he said he didn’t deem it violent conduct; it was ‘aggressive behaviour’.
“Well, I’m sorry, but it doesn’t take a lot to be painful when you get clipped in the balls with a closed fist. People might be thinking ‘oh, he’s lost the game and looking for excuses’. Well, it’s not the case – it was outrageous.”
The build-up to this contest was dominated by suggestions of a bust-up between McCann and goalkeeper Scott Bain in the aftermath of their 3-1 defeat against Hamilton, and the shot-stopper was, indeed, axed from the side to face the Hibees.
“There is an internal discipline process and when that process is done he’ll be told,” confirmed McCann. “There’s no timeframe on that right now.”
Making his debut in contentious circumstances after joining from Accrington Stanley in the summer, all eyes were on Elliot Parish – and he was picking the ball out of the net after 63 seconds.
Not that the English custodian was deserving of much blame. He was left brutally exposed when Boyle robbed the ponderous Lewis Spence and surged past a powderpuff Kevin Holt challenge, before drilling a wonderful low drive into the corner of the net for his fifth goal of the season.
Belying a morale-sapping run of four successive defeats, Dundee showed character and no shortage of quality to restore parity when Roarie Deacon skinned Lewis Stevenson on the flank and produced a perfect cross for Haber to head beyond Ofir Marciano.
Dundee almost claimed the lead when Faissal El Bakhtaoui latched on to a loose ball in the box, but his instinctive shot forced Marciano into a sensational low save.
The visitors were made to pay 15 minutes later as Hibs reclaimed the lead. Once again, young Spence was wasteful in possession, allowing Stokes free rein to break and pick out Murray with a sumptuous delivery. The in-form striker made no mistake, volleying home the inviting ball for his 13th goal of the campaign.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the players,” lauded Hibs boss Neil Lennon. “We were dead on our feet and it’s like Emergency Ward 10 in there, but we dug in. We were outstanding at times.”
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