By Graeme Dey

MOTHERWELL’S JOHN Sutton all but wrote off his own sides SPL title prospects.

But he reckons Dundee United and Hibs could give the Old Firm a real scare.

And Tangerines full-back Paul Dixon believes Tony Mowbray’s silly claim that there was a gulf in class between Celtic and United when the Hoops lost at Tannadice eight days ago has inspired and encouraged all the would-be usurpers of the established order in the Scottish game.

“The gap between the Old Firm and the rest of the league is definitely narrowing,” said Sutton, in the wake of the Steelmen’s memorable 2-2 draw with United.

“When I started out at Dundee it was very rare for Celtic or Rangers to lose any points and when you went a goal down early at either Celtic Park or Ibrox you knew you were in for a very long day.

“But now there’s no such fear factor.

“And between the Old Firm not being as strong as they were and the other teams improving the league has become better and certainly more exciting for the supporters.

“Potentially this could be the most exciting SPL season I’ve witnessed.

“Celtic and Rangers seem to be dropping points here, there and everywhere, which gives hope to teams like Hibs and Dundee United.

“It will be tough for us, because of the age of the squad and the manager still trying to stamp his mark on the team, to push for the title, but if these two can put a good run together then they can challenge.”

A win at Fir Park would have enhanced United’s prospects. As it was despite Rangers’ defeat at Pittodrie, they lost ground on both Hibs and Celtic, who both won—but the circumstances of the 90 minutes left Dixon reflecting positively on the outcome.

“This was a massive game for us,” he said.

“Had we come here and lost then the Celtic result would have been worthless.

“And considering we went down to nine men this is a good point for us.

“As players we’ve not been talking about the title and challenging for it.

“We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves.

“But we have started very well, suffering only one defeat until now, so there’s a real confidence about the squad.

“And the Old Firm must be looking over their shoulders because as well as ourselves there’s Hibs pushing, maybe even Motherwell and there we’ve seen Aberdeen have gone and beaten Rangers.

“The rest of the SPL are showing one another that it is possible to get results against the Old Firm.

“The gulf in class that Tony Mowbray spoke about is not as big as it used to be—as the SPL table shows. And his remarks have I think provided extra motivation not just for ourselves but other clubs.”

The game Well and United served up bore testimony to the attacking commitment of their respective managers and the self belief both sides possess.

What a pity that at a time when the possibility of Old Firm dominance being smashed is providing positive headlines such a match was overshadowed by the furore concerning referee Alan Muir’s handling of the fixture.

It is hardly unique to have a manager who has had two players sent off condemning the officiating.

But when his opposite number is just as scathing—and the accord between the two even stretched to agreeing another player actually should have walked but didn’t because Muir was so clueless—then this is one situation Hugh Dallas and company at the SFA cannot ignore, as they are want to do.

Levein was raging over the dismissals of Prince Buaben and Danny Swanson—both of whom look to be facing extended bans given they have been red carded already this term.

Buaben, who was cautioned earlier for reacting angrily to being penalised for a challenge on Jamie Murphy, picked up a second yellow card, this time for fouling Jim O’Brien, on 67 minutes.

Substitute Swanson—whose dismissal will be appealed by the club—was shown a straight red for a sliding challenge on Keith Lasley in front of the home dugout.

Levein rated Muir’s handling of the match “one out of 10.”

He said, “Both red cards were wrong.

“Prince has had two tackles in the game.

“The first one he won the ball and there was nothing in the second.

“Then Danny Swanson goes to win the ball, the lad sees him coming, nicks the ball through his legs and jumps over the top of him yet he gets a straight red when there’s been no contact.

“Yet their right-back had six fouls in the first half which didn’t lead to a card and let’s be honest Jennison Myrie-Williams could and should have gone when having already been booked he was clumsy and late with a challenge.”

Jim Gannon was similarly scathing.

“It’s disappointing how the referee’s performance has taken away from a fantastic game of football,” he said.

“The sending off at the end was never a sending off and the ref didn’t even see Myrie-Williams’ challenge (on Steven Saunders) which should have brought a second caution, as a foul.

“He didn’t know the difference between a foul and a tackle. It made for a bizarre spectacle.

“I have respected this vow of silence (managers aren’t meant to publicly criticise officials) but I’ve written to Hugh Dallas twice over the standard of refereeing we’ve encountered and had no reply (something Dallas disputes, claiming to have responded to one of the letters).

“There is no reporting structure which allows managers, after viewing the video of games, to give honest feedback as they do in England.”

The game exploded into life with two goals in the space of as many minutes around 15 minutes in.

United struck first after great pressing work forced Yassin Moutaouakil to concede a throw-in 20 yards from the goaline, from which Paul Dixon delivered a cross that Ross Forbes could only clear as far as Andy Webster, who fired past John Ruddy.

The lead immediately came under intense pressure as Dixon was required to produce a wonderful last ditch tackle to thwart John Sutton, and from the loose ball Lukas Jutkiewicz brought a fine save out of Nicky Weaver before Sutton rose to meet Forbes’ corner and send a powerful header past Weaver.

On 29 minutes Well nosed in front with a counter both Weaver and Mihael Kovacevic will feel they ought to have prevented.

Kovacevic allowed Jutkiewicz too much room out on the right hand side of United’s area but the goalkeeper should surely have kept out his fellow Englishman’s low drive, which went across before nestling in the far corner.

It was an advantage the home side deserved, for almost from the moment they took the lead United had been defending on the edge.

The second half saw improvement and despite losing Buaben on 67 minutes the visitors built up a head of steam, which was finally rewarded when Dixon’s low ball across the six yard box was steered home by substitute Jon Daly.

The subsequent dismissal of Swanson left the Tangerines having to withstand a stoppage time onslaught from the Steelmen —which they did thanks in no small measure to Weaver’s instinctively thrusting out a hand to divert Lasley’s seemingly netbound finish to safety.