Dick Campbell slammed his spot-kick sinners as Arbroath crashed out of the Premier Sports Cup on a penalty shoot-out to holders St Johnstone.
Arbroath missed three penalties – with Ricky Little, Dale Hilson and Bobby Linn all off target – as Saints recorded a 3-2 shoot-out win to clinch a quarter-final meeting with Dundee.
And while Campbell was full of praise for the way his side forced Saints all the way, he couldn’t hide his anger after the loss.
“We got beat and we could only score two penalties,” said Campbell.
“I’m not bothering my backside who we were playing – cup holders or not.
“I’m raging. It’s not a lottery penalty kicks.
The cup holders @StJohnstone survive as Ali McCann nets the winning penalty v @ArbroathFC pic.twitter.com/NOMZlBxf2T
— Ewan Smith (@ewansmithpr) August 15, 2021
“You have to hit the ball between two posts and a bar and you can’t do that?
“At penalties, when everyone puts their hands up and says ‘I’ll take one’ then you let them.
“That won’t happen to me again. I’m telling you it won’t happen again.
Arbroath pay penalty for misses v St Johnstone
“When I heard who was taking the penalties I thought ‘good on you’ but you have got to hit the target.
“The last thing I said to them was just pick a corner and hit the corner. I said: ‘Don’t be smart.’
“But two of our penalties missed the whole target and one hit the post.
“Their keeper never even had a save to make and that’s really annoying.
“I wish St Johnstone all the best but I thought our penalty kicks were appalling.”
Dick Campbell: St Johnstone equaliser a ‘disgrace’
Meanwhile, Campbell believes his side could have won the game in extra-time.
Arbroath were 2-1 up, thanks to a Tam O’Brien effort but felt Chris Hamilton was fouled by Shaun Rooney in the build-up to Jamie McCart’s equaliser.
“There is an expectation with St Johnstone because they are full-time and cup owners,” said Campbell.
“The second goal was an absolute disgrace. Stevie Wonder can see it’s a foul right in front of the referee.
“The big boy went up there and he has fell over the top of my player in the box.
“My player had to get treatment but he gave them a corner and they scored from it. These are the decisions that went against us.
“It was a good game and good crowd but I don’t feel sorry for myself. I’m just angry that we never made the draw.”
