Furious Lucy Ashworth-Clifford has maintained that referee Jamie Wilkie cost Celtic the game against Rangers after Jo Potter’s side moved four points clear of the Parkhead side in the SWPL.
Celtic were incandescent at the decision to award a Rangers penalty on the hour mark – which Katie Wilkinson calmly dispatched – as they insisted that midfielder Shannon McGregor was more sinned against than sinning as she tangled with Charlie Devlin.
Manager Elena Sadiku was sent off in the subsequent fall-out with Ashworth-Clifford suggesting that Wilkie has a history of poor decisions while overseeing Celtic games.
“It is always difficult, especially when you are playing against other factors that can’t really be controlled by us,” said Ashworth-Clifford. “But it is what it is and hopefully next time we are going to smash them.
“It was a lot of decisions, to be fair. Shocking every time it is that particular ref.
“We have watched it back and even Sky Sports themselves said it was a foul on Shannon McGregor. I think that sums it up, really.
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“The first time we played them this season they were 2-0 up and we showed resilience to come back and the same thing happened this time. We had to go against other factors and just show what we can do.”
Rio Hardy’s fourth minute opener had been cancelled out by Caitlin Hayes before an explosive second half ensued.
Celtic have had to cope with the duel demands of Champions League and domestic football for the first time and they had looked lethargic and off the pace for much of the opening half.
They now need to lift themselves for the visit to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
“We have a lot more games in our schedule and we haven’t got much energy left in the tank,” said Ashworth-Clifford. “We have to keep going. It is what it is.
“It is not out of contention at all and I am still not in doubt that we are going to win it.
“There are plenty of points still to go and I am sure they will drop plenty of points.”
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Rangers manager Jo Potter was delighted with the win and, inevitably, had little to complain with regards to the penalty.
“I haven’t seen it back but obviously I think it is a penalty,” said the Rangers manager. “We were aggrieved with the penalty that was given against us in the last game so it comes and goes. Sometimes you get the rub of the green and sometimes you don’t.
“It can infuriating but I think Charlie did extremely well to get herself between the ball and the player and it looked like a clumsy tackle to me. She was never getting anywhere near the ball.
“It made sense that it was a penalty and Wilko did extremely well to settle the nerves and stick it in the back of the net.”
Potter celebrated with gusto at full-time but is wary of seeing the win as anything other than in isolation.
“We have to make sure we are doing our business day to day and week to week,” she said.
“It was a big one for us and it gives us a cushion but as we know, that isn’t always the case when it comes to the end of the season.”
