Derek McInnes claimed some “outrageous” refereeing by Matthew MacDermid allowed St Mirren defender Shaun Rooney to get away with a volley at Kilmarnock skipper Kyle Vassell during Saturday’s 2-2 draw in Paisley.
Saints striker Toyosi Olusanya headed the home side into the lead in the seventh minute of an eventful William Hill Premiership encounter before Killie attacker Marley Watkins levelled four minutes later.
Before Buddies skipper Mark O’Hara restored the home side’s lead with a penalty in the 40th minute, Rooney appeared to kick out at the prostrate Vassell on the touchline as he guarded the ball but MacDermid took no action, awarding a free-kick to the home side.
The official did act just before the break when he sent off Kilmarnock defender Joe Wright after clashing with Rooney but the visitors deservedly levelled in the 70th minute with an own goal by Jonah Ayunga.
Boss McInnes described Wright’s red card as a “moment of madness” but saved his ire for MacDermid, saying: “We don’t get away with Shaun Rooney when he volleys Vassell on the deck.
“If VAR isn’t going to get involved in that, when is it going to get involved?
“Kyle Vassell is between the ball and Shaun Rooney. Now, if Shaun Rooney is trying to get to the ball and showing a bit of restraint to try and get there – but he has went full blooded volley into Kyle Vassell’s hip and the referee doesn’t even speak to him, never mind deal with him.
“So disappointed that is allowed on a football pitch, it shouldn’t be and it should be condemned.
“And don’t like talking about other team’s players – but that was an outrageous part of refereeing.
“It would be nice to know what the explanation is. For the life of me, I don’t see why he’s not been asked to look at that, at least deal with the player.
“He’s on the pitch. He’s a referee. He must see that, so he doesn’t even need VAR to tell him that.
“And I was speaking to the fourth official about it. I just think something has to happen here, because there’s no place for that on a football pitch.”
On Wright’s red card, McInnes said: “We finished the first half strong and then we have a moment of madness where Joe gets himself set off for more or less a wee dig rather than a punch.
“I’m annoyed at Joe because he’s allowed VAR to get involved here. How hurt their boy is, I don’t know.”
McInnes also believes that St Mirren striker Mikael Mandron – who was booked earlier for a foul on Wright – escaped further punishment from referee MacDermid for a hefty challenge on Stuart Findlay soon afterwards.
Saints manager Stephen Robinson immediately replaced Mandron with Ayunga.
The Northern Irishman said: “No, I didn’t think it was a yellow card. The second one definitely wasn’t a yellow card but you’re always walking a tightrope.
“He’s frustrated to come off, he doesn’t want to come off but he’s a sensible, clever, experienced boy, but I have to make those decisions.
“And the way the game’s gone now, where you get sent off for blowing on somebody, then you can’t take those chances.
“We didn’t deserve to win, we didn’t deserve to lose, the frustrating bit is (losing goals from) two set plays on which you work tirelessly and constantly. So ultimately, I take the blame on that.
“When they went down to 10 men, we complicated the game a little. Some maybe thought with 10 men the game was over and it wasn’t.”
