Distraught Dundee defender Lewis Toshney has recalled the “horrible moment” when referee Alan Muir pointed to the penalty spot in Sunday’s make-or-break match against Aberdeen.
Toshney was wrongly adjudged to have fouled Aberdeen player Peter Pawlett, gifting Niall McGinn the chance to equalise for the Dons and thus seal the Dark Blues’ relegation fate.
The on-loan Celtic man admitted there was no consoling him after the incident which meant their valiant battle for survival did not go into the penultimate weekend of the SPL campaign.
Toshney said: “It was one of those horrible moments. It was never a penalty. I actually pulled out of the challenge, as the TV pictures clearly showed. I knew it was in a dangerous area so that’s why I deliberately held back.
“So when the referee pointed to the spot it was a terrible feeling. That’s the only way to describe it.
“I automatically felt it was all my fault. That’s what was going through my head at the time with everything that was at stake.
“It’s probably the hardest experience I have had to take in my career so far.
“After the game I watched a replay of the incident on my laptop and nothing has changed my mind. I know Peter from the Scotland under-21s but I didn’t speak to him afterwards there was no point.”
Toshney added: “It just seems to be one of these things that goes on in football these days.”
For more reaction from Dens, see Tuesday’s Courier or try our digital edition.