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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
James McLaughlin

Kilmarnock player 'lucky' to avoid red card vs Celtic in unseen flashpoint

Kilmarnock were 'lucky' to avoid having another player sent off this season after a late challenge by Liam Donnelly on Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

That's the view of BBC Sportscene's panel Billy Dodds and Lee Miller.

The midfielder - clearly angered after Reo Hatate escaped a red card for a dangerous tackle on him moments earlier - steamed into a challenge with Schmeichel, who was kept busy by Killie all afternoon.

As the Northern Ireland international went in to close the keeper down following an Auston Trusty back pass near the goal mouth, his elbow seemingly motioned towards the Dane, but narrowly missed him, with no connection made.

This was only really picked up on by the TV cameras behind the goal, in front of the travelling Celtic support in the Chadwick Stand.

Schmeichel reacted angrily to the situation, as Nick Walsh booked Donnelly, and subsequently Trusty for being mouthy.

Don Robertson on VAR duty backed up the referee's view over the matter, much like he did with the earlier Hatate incident, where the Japanese star was only booked despite catching Donnelly on his knee having lunged into the tackle at speed..

Last night, Dodds said: “You can see once he has kicked it (the ball) away.

"If he connects, he will be off the pitch as well. Lucky. Schmeichel isn’t happy and Trusty is straight over - you can see why. The swipe of the arm - if that connects, it’s a knockout.”


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Miller was certain that Donnelly's actions were a direct result of Hatate's high lunge.

He commented: “He’s a goner (if that connects) and Derek McInnes would have been fuming with him having been sent off a few weeks back.

"It probably leads on from the challenge that has just been made on him from Hatate.

"He has been frustrated and wants to lay down a marker but he’s lucky to avoid a red card, he doesn’t make full connection.”

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