Airdrie boss Ian Murray felt his side were harshly treated after being denied at least FOUR strong penalty claims in their derby draw with Clyde.
The Diamonds came back from Lewis Jamieson's thumping first-half volley for the Bully Wee to draw 1-1, thanks to substitute Gabby McGill's strike 16 minutes from time.
But they missed the chance to claw back ground on League One leaders Cove Rangers, who also drew when they fought back to level up at 2-2 away to Alloa.
Airdrie could have moved to within three points of the summit instead of remaining five adrift - and Murray knows it could have been different if his side were awarded at least one of their spot-kick claims.
Murray was baffled by referee Calum Scott's decision not to award a penalty in the second half when Clyde keeper Josh Bradley-Hurst took out skipper Callum Fordyce when he missed the ball trying to punch clear, while booking Jon Afolabi for simulation in the first half when Bradley-Hurst appeared to bring him down in the box also left the boss bemused.
Furthermore, Adam Frizzell also had two claims denied and, arguably, Afolabi had another in the second half.
Murray, whose side are now 11 games unbeaten in League One, said: "The players gave everything and we threw the kitchen sink at Clyde.
"But, we have to be honest, we've been denied a stonewall penalty. The goalie has come, not got the ball and wiped Callum Fordyce out.
"It's as big a penalty as you will see anywhere this weekend.
"There's frustration on that side, but that's football. Sometimes you don't get the decisions.
"I think there was a fair shout for at least two of the four, possibly three.
"But I'll need to see them back.
"On first viewing, I thought Jonathan's was a penalty and I thought Callum Fordyce's one was a penalty.
"The others on Adam I'm not sure about.
"The referee has made the decisions. We can't wind the clock back.
"When the referee looks back he might look at it and say it was a penalty and offer an explanation as to why he didn't give it at the time, but I think the whole stadium thought the one on Callum was a penalty.
"Jon's looked a penalty as well. I tried to explain to the linesman that players don't go down when they've got a chance to score.
"Very seldom do players simulate. There's a myth in football that if you don't get a penalty it's a dive. But for players, it's not in their make-up and I think sometimes officials detach themselves from the players' thinking and go strictly by the rule book.
"To give Jonathan a yellow card for that, for me it's just getting your card out and flashing it.
"I'm frustrated for Jonathan and I'm disappointed for the team. We are disappointed because we look to win our home games, but on the positive side the players have come back again after a tough first half.
"We wanted to make inroads into Cove's advantage on us but we didn't so we need to put it behind us and get behind that disappointment now."
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