Managers Post Partick

Ian McCall and Jim McIntyre agree that Kevin Harper should not have been shown red.

Jim McIntyre said that the club are likely to appeal against the 51st minute red card shown to Kevin Harper by Referee Brian Winter in the match against Partick Thistle:-

"It was an absolute travesty for the referee to send Kevin Harper off. It is never a sending off, he played the ball and if he thinks it is a follow through, it is a booking at worst. He spoiled the game.

"The referees are unapproachable, I asked him why he never gave us three penalties in my mind. Stephen Simmons was about to shoot on goal and the boy pushes him. He was off balance but because he still follows through with the shot then he says that's alright because he got his shot away.

"There was a stonewall hand ball which about ten of my players were going mad about. That tells its own story - players reactions tell their own story. I feel very aggrieved today that's for sure.

"I am nothing but proud of my players, they were different class going down to ten men so early in the second half. It looked as though we were the team that were going to get the winning goal."

Did the Manager speak to Kevin Harper about the sending off?

"He cannot understand it. He said that it was not even a booking in his eyes - he played the ball. We will lose him now for a couple of games, a straight red card for violent conduct. There is every chance we will appeal but whether they will do anything about it, who knows?"

Despite being at the wrong end of wrong decisions, Macca was sympathetic towards match officials:-

"Referees are under a lot of pressure, I sympathise with the job that they have got but that's a job that they have chosen. When there are a lot of inconsistency at times then it drives you mad. That's what drives players, managers and fans alike mad.

"I thought we played very well, created good chances. Stevie Crawford and Mark Burchill were causing them problems in the first half with their excellent movement and pace. Stevie took his goal very well and was unlucky with a great move for another one that slipped by the post on the half volley."

Jim McIntyre heaped more praise on the sponsor's Man of the Match, Stevie Crawford:-

"What a great shift he did for us when we went down to ten men and we had to stick him wider. I thought he did excellent."

Partick Thistle Manager Ian McCall agreed that the red card should not have been brandished to Kevin Harper:-

"We were without five first team players but they gave their all to get the draw. Kevin Harper should never have been sent off. He maybe should have been sent off for elbowing Mark Twaddle in the face. Stephen Simmons should certainly have been sent off for an over the ball challenge that Alan Archibald has got seven stitches in his ankle. The first two penalties were never penalties but the last one was a stonewall penalty. That's my assessment of it anyway.

"Dunfermline can be aggrieved that they didn't get that last penalty because it looked it to me.

"Kevin Harper touched the ball, it wasn't a vicious challenge in any way. It was at the far side but I do not think that it was a sending off. I tend to agree with Jim McIntyre but he did elbow him - Mark Twaddle's face is a real mess. Perhaps that was accidental but the one we are angry about is the challenge on Alan Archibald.

"Our record at East End is not great so it is a big point and we would have taken it before the game."