St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright was an angry man after Celtic got a “game-changer” of a penalty decision at McDiamid Park.
The controversial spotkick was awarded to the Hoops by referee Craig Thomson just on the hour, with the home side leading 2-1 at the time.
Kieran Tierney’s cross from the left struck home defender Keith Watson on the side of his body then travelled up to brush his elbow.
Watson had his arms down as Tierney’s cross struck him but Thomson seemed to rule that the former Dundee United man had deliberately played the ball.
It was the wrong call and what made it worse was that St Johnstone had earlier been denied a spotkick of their own when Danny Swanson was brought down by Parkhead skipper Scott Brown.
After the blow of the penalty – converted by Hoops sub Moussa Dembele – Saints ended up losing 5-2.
Wright said: “Listen, I am not going to sit on the fence and give you PC – it’s not a penalty.
“If I live to be 100 it will never be a penalty – never.
“How he gives it is beyond me.
“It is beyond me and any reasonable person how he can be 100% sure that’s a penalty.
“He couldn’t wait to give the penalty.
“Danny Swanson’s was a penalty,” added the Saints boss.
“There was contact and Brendan Rodgers would have been disappointed it that weren’t given (to his team).
“Brown didn’t get anything on the ball and Danny’s knee goes inward so there’s contact – it’s a penalty.
“So there have been three teams out there today. I thought Celtic were excellent, I thought we were – the other team was poor and they let my players down today.”
Wright was asked if he visited the referee’s room after full-time to get an explanation.
He said: “I’m not going to see him (Thomson) because I wouldn’t want to waste my time.
“You can probably see that I’m angry so I would probably end up in hot water.
“I did shout out to him on the pitch and he gestured that his (Watson’s) hands were up, almost as if he had caught the ball which didn’t happen.
“It hit his hip and – you couldn’t tell at the time – it does touch his elbow but it’s tucked in.
“You can’t see that until you see the camera angle from behind the goal so how can he give it?
“He has to be 100% and it’s a game-changer.
“If Celtic go on to win without that decision then fair enough.
“But that decision, for me, totally changed the whole dynamic of the game.
“It gave Celtic a massive lift and knocked the stuffing out of us.
“We all make mistakes but there are mistakes and there are glaring mistakes.”
Even Parkhead gaffer Rodgers had sympathy with his fellow Northern Irishman.
He said: “If I were Tommy I would be disappointed.
“There are lots of decision up here which I have seen in my time, which has been a short time, that have been funny ones.
“As a manager, I am delighted that I got it but for Tommy you would be bitterly disappointed.”
Watson, who until then was enjoying a great afternoon after scoring his first goal for the club to make it 1-1, admitted he was stunned when Thomson pointed to the spot.
“At the time, I was a bit shocked when the whistle went,” said Watson.
“I thought it came off my side but obviously the ref has given the decision.
“I thought it was the wrong one and, having seen it back, I think I’m right.
“Everyone who was watching the game knows it wasn’t a penalty.
“In my opinion it was the wrong decision and it’s a decision that has cost us the game.
“Goals change games. When they got that penalty and obviously scored it gave them a lift.
“We are all gutted because we felt it wasn’t a penalty. I knew myself it wasn’t a penalty.
“If the referee doesn’t give it then the score stays 2-1 and you never know what can happen. The boys are absolutely devastated through there.”
