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Daily Record
Sport
Gabriel McKay

Raging Rangers fan brands Fashion Sakala shirt pull 'assault' in radio rant as Dundee United dubbed hammer-throwers

A fuming Rangers fan branded Ross Graham's shirt-pull on Fashion Sakala ASSAULT as he fumed over Bobby Madden's officiating.

The Premiership champions felt they were denied two clear penalties at Dundee United, with both incidents involving 20-year-old Graham.

First the ball hit Graham, who scored his side's goal, in the arm and after the break replays showed him pulling back Sakala as he looked to tap home from close range.

With the match ending in a 1-1 draw, Celtic stretched their lead to three points at the top of the table and a lively debate was guaranteed on Monday's Clyde One Superscoreboard.

Tommy, a Rangers fan called in to discuss the incidents with Kenny Miller, Mark Wilson and host Gordon Duncan.

And the caller was fuming after what he saw as an assault on Sakala went unpunished by Bobby Madden.

Tommy: "Where do I start?"

Duncan: "Wherever you like."

Tommy: "I'll start on Madden, because refereeing decisions over the last few weeks against Rangers have been poor, and yesterday...

"Your arm's got to be in a natural position, the first one - which is well inside the penalty area - it's not in a natural position. He doesn't try and drag it away, he's got 10 yards before the ball hits his arm.

"He didn't try and drag it away, the ball hits his arm: it's a penalty.

"The second one's even worse. You've got Marc saying (Graham) was terrific - the young boy shouldn't have been on the park for his assault on Sakala!"

Duncan: "I'm not sure 'assault'..."

Wilson: "That's a bit harsh!"

Duncan: "Mark Wilson's given it his 'Howler of the Weekend', he agrees with you. But a shirt pull is not an assault, let's be clear about that..."

The panel agreed that Graham should have been sent off for his tug back on Sakala, before Tommy was asked for his view on the bigger picture in this season's title race.

Tommy: "The bigger picture is pretty decent, we had a fantastic result on Thursday night.

"I was sitting watching the game - I was on the ceiling at 3-0 up. The third was something special, the whole movement from the back right through to Kent."

Duncan: "Does that not make yesterday's result even more frustrating, that a team that blew Borussia Dortmund away can go and draw 1-1 at Tannadice?"

(SNS Group)

Tommy: "Well, Gordon, we blew Dundee United away!

"We had 60-odd touches in their box, we had 29 shots on goal - ok only three or four on target because they were throwing bodies everywhere.

"But to say they were fantastic... they don't play football, they're a bunch of hammer-throwers. Big 6ft 2in giants kicking lumps out of everything that moves.

"I wouldn't go and watch that every week, which is probably why their ground is half empty every week.

"Going back to Rangers, we're playing really well at the minute. We were unlucky yesterday, the referee cost us the points because he's inept as he usually is most weeks.

"I'm angry because... we can bring in VAR but it won't improve the referees, Gordon."

Duncan: "Four away games without a win though, Tommy, is that not a concern?"

Tommy: "Not really when you go to Dortmund and win."

Duncan: "Fair enough..."

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