Absolute cluster**** of a refereeing performance at the end of the game tonight. Most incompetent thing I've ever seen.
Rangers get an 88th minute penalty. Kilmarnock players are unhappy and moan at the referee. Linesman makes his way over from the touchline to stand on the goal-line where the penalty box meets it, as is normal for penalty kicks. Kilmarnock players interpret this as the linesman coming over to advise the referee he should change his decision. They persuade the referee to speak to his linesman - decision is still a penalty.
This literally takes 2-3 minutes, but eventually the players line up to take the penalty. Except Kilmarnock defender Kirk Broadfoot is winding up Rangers midfielder Ryanair Jack on the edge of the D and deliberately stands on his toes. Jack squares up to Broadfoot and motions forward with his head, Broadfoot goes down clutching his face. This all happens right in front of the referee. Another fracas begins as players from both sides get involved. Another 2-3 minutes pass, and the referee decides that a yellow card for each player will do. Ryan Jack removes himself from the action and stands at the centre circle. The players once again line up to take the penalty.
Rather than blowing his whistle to signal that the penalty should be taken, the referee puts his finger to his ear as one of his officials is talking to him. He then walks over to Ryan Jack, from the penalty area, and shows him a red card. This is greeted with amazement by the player as nothing has been said or done since the referee elected to book him. After a minute or so he is persuaded to leave the pitch.
By this point at least 5 or 6 minutes have elapsed and there is still a penalty to be taken. Finally, Daniel Candeias steps up, but the keeper saves the penalty. While the Rangers players are still trying to process what the **** has just happened, Kilmarnock immediately break up the pitch and equalise.
At this point, the 4th official belatedly signals that there are to be 6 more minutes of stoppage time.
2-3 minutes pass, and Rangers are awarded an indirect free kick as Kilmarnock's goalkeeper picks up a passback. The shot is deflected wide for a corner - but the referee blows for full time to the bemusement of everyone left in the ground.
I thought it would be a while before I saw a refereeing performance as bad as the one I witnessed on Sunday, where two separate instances of a player being elbowed in the face while challenging for the ball and being cut as a result were ignored by the referee, with play being waved on (on the second occasion, Rangers defender Fabio Cardoso had his nose broken as well for his troubles while the referee ignored him signalling desperately to the bench for treatment - the kicker being the player guilty of the elbow was already on a yellow for elbowing him in the first half)
I'd honestly expect fairer refereeing if the opposition mangers were allowed to officiate.
