Frustrated Stuart Kettlewell felt the decision to allow Dundee’s contentious second goal proved pivotal as Motherwell crashed to a 4-1 defeat at Dens Park.
With the match locked at 1-1 after Apostolos Stamatelopoulos cancelled out Oluwaseun Adewumi’s opener for the hosts, the Steelmen imploded midway through the second half, with Dundee scoring three in the space of seven minutes through Scott Tiffoney and a Lyall Cameron double.
Kettlewell was stunned that Tiffoney’s break-away goal following a Motherwell corner was allowed to stand as he believed Kofi Balmer had been fouled by Jordan McGhee while trying to win a header in the Dark Blues box.
Even if that was not deemed a penalty, the Well boss was baffled that play was not stopped as Balmer lay in the Dundee goalmouth with a head injury.
“One of the most bizarre games of football, especially that seven-minute period in the second half, that I’ve been involved in,” said Kettlewell, whose side have now lost three in a row.
“I felt we were on the ascendancy, we were playing the game in Dundee’s half and had started the second half well. From our corner, I’ve seen several angles of it, Jordan McGhee’s got his arm round Kofi Balmer’s neck.
“We sat at the managers’ meeting last night and we were told, defenders on the wrong side, that type of grappling would ultimately result in a penalty kick.
“On his way down as he falls, he sustains a blow from the knee and the sole of the boot, to his head, so it’s two blows to his head as he’s falling to the ground. Completely accidental, no intention in that whatsoever, from the views that I’ve seen there. And then the counter-attack results in a Dundee goal.
“I’ve spoken to (referee) John Beaton there and John’s decided that he didn’t think it was enough of a blow to the head to merit the player not moving on the ground.
“When we know the margins are so fine in this division between teams, when you start to get decisions like that going against you and the referee, in my opinion, gets to play God, I completely disagree with that.”
Dundee climbed from seventh to fifth – leapfrogging Motherwell in the process – as they made it three home wins in a row in the top flight for the first time since 2002.
“I was really pleased with the performance,” said manager Tony Docherty.
“We had a fantastic opening goal from Seun Adewumi, who is really getting up to speed now.
“We gave away a cheap goal to let them back in.
“At half-time we settled them down and asked them to be really brave in possession.
“I think we came out worthy winners. Another 4-1 victory at home and I’m delighted for the fans, it was a good night for Dundee tonight.
“We’re now in the top six, the challenge is stay there.”
