Furious Queens boss Wullie Gibson has hit out at Hamilton Accies’ antics in their latest league loss and claimed they helped get Ben Liddle sent off.
The midfielder was dismissed six minutes before the interval by referee Graham Grainger at New Douglas Park in the 1-0 defeat for collecting two yellow cards which were branded as “soft” by manager Gibson.
He said: “Both yellow cards are embarrassing. I can’t say too much because I will end up getting pulled up but they are not yellows and the sending off killed the game in my opinion.”
The fourth defeat on the trot plunges Queens deep into relegation trouble at the bottom of the table and Gibson criticised Accies for their conduct.
He said: “It was myself who passed to Ben so I was right on it. He has won the ball and Andy Ryan has gone down screaming and their boys are running 40 yards to get him sent off.
“I don’t even think the ref would have booked him if they hadn’t gone running.
“The way they have reacted has got him thinking.
“And the second one was exactly the same thing, embarrassing from them again.
“I’ve seen it, I don’t think it’s a yellow, that’s not me being biased, it’s just an honest opinion.
“I think them again running 40 yards is very poor.
“And in the second half their manager (Stuart Taylor) is in the referee’s ear after a couple of tackles and trying to get players booked.
“I think that is disgraceful, to be honest.
“It might sound like sour grapes but it’s not. It’s just a lack of professionalism on their part.
“Trying to get other players sent off isn’t for me.”
Gibson reflected on the away day defeat and refused to blame Liddle for the dismissal.
He said: “Where we are in the league makes it tough enough with 11 v 11. Ben is in there apologising to everyone, but I don’t
think he has anything to apologise for.
“Ultimately being down to 10 men for long periods it can be backs to the walls. Any game plan goes out the window, but it is what it is, I don’t want to say too much, or I will get into bother. I can’t fault the effort of the boys, especially being with 10 men for such a long time. I thought they worked incredibly hard.
“Hamilton enjoyed a lot of the ball but apart from the goal I don’t think they cut us open much.
“Josh Rae has had a couple of good saves but again we’ve come away with nothing.”
Accies’ Andrew Winter nabbed the only goal prompting Gibson to say: “You could look at it two ways. You could say it’s a bit of magic from them but its poor from us. It’s a good finish from them but disappointing from our point of view.”
Queens have a break from the league next weekend when they face Raith in the final of the SPFL Trust Trophy.
But Gibson admitted he would give up the cup to stay up.
He said: “It might be poor of me to say it but I don’t think the cup final matters. I’m bothered about staying in the Championship.
“I’ve asked the boys how much it hurts them as for me the Championship is everything.
“With the cup, its positivity, it’s a day out for the fans and I love all that but right now I would trade that for safety, I think anyone would.
“However, we have a whole week to prepare and we will give it our best shot as we owe the fans a performance and to pick up a trophy.
“We are there on merit, people wrote us off against Cove so if we can win it then it might breed confidence for the run in so we can use that as an incentive.”
“And the second was a deliberate professional foul.”
