Stuart Kettlewell reveals ref decision that 'baffled' him during Celtic vs Motherwell as he assesses penalty

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell has reacted to the Celtic penalty that sparked his side’s defeat at Parkhead.

The Hoops were controlling possession in the first half of the Premiership clash they eventually won 4-0 but the Steelmen proved tricky customers to cut open. Yang went down in the box under an Aston Oxborough tackle and a penalty was awarded, VAR backing referee Ross Hardie’s decision.

Kettlewell has been left miffed by some refereeing calls against Motherwell of late, with Dan Casey featuring here after his red card against Kilmarnock was downgraded to a yellow. Speaking post-match, the Motherwell manager said that the contact was minimal in a comparison with Tawanda Maswanhise being booked at the other end.

The boss explained: “It's a bitter blow at that stage in the game. I think everyone can see how we're trying to set out, how we're trying to get through our day's work at that stage. Obviously you're always looking for that twist, you're looking to see if there's more opportunity for us to try and be a wee bit more progressive. But at the stage that Celtic scored, I didn't feel that our goalkeeper had been overly worked, I think that's fair to say. I think he maybe only had one stop before that really. And you expect that if you've done that, that you're putting yourself in a half-decent position.

“Disappointed on first view, and I've genuinely not analysed it, studied it, the replays of the penalty. At the time my gut feeling was that it was soft in terms of how the Celtic player went down from what I felt was minimal to little, if any, contact. I would need to see that again. I didn't feel that there was much in it at all.

“However, that goes against you but that's not the game done. We think about trying to galvanise ourselves and coming out stronger in the second half. Really disappointed by the nature of the second and third goals that Celtic scored, from the point of view of conceding from a corner, switching off in that back post area. In particular, we know that Scales is very good with his timing of his run and his spring, but it was more that match-up that we felt was something Celtic do it time and again. Ball into the front area, movement round the back, and it's unfortunately Marvin Kaleta, who I thought done well in open play, he switches off. He's disappointed, but again, part of his education.

“Obviously, the third goal, that deflection that wrong-footed the goalkeeper. I've played against Celtic that many times as a player, a coach, a manager, and you can sometimes hold your hands up when the quality of the goals is taking your breath away. I didn't feel that that was the case today, and you find yourself 3-0 down at that point. So, disappointment, but what we have to do is pick ourselves up very quickly and move on.”

On the Maswanhise incident: “This is where I'm left baffled. I don't think it's a penalty, but it's not a dive. He has not tried to buy a penalty. He's running at pace, the Celtic player is touch tight. I would say that there is some sort of contact there, but not enough for a penalty in my opinion, and the referee instantly books him and regards it simulation. I'm kind of blown away by that, I really am.

“I think we've probably all seen at the time that it was close. Are we claiming for a penalty? I think you naturally do instantly, but very quickly after it, I didn't feel there was a penalty, but I certainly don't think JT's took a dive at that stage. That's incredibly frustrating because it comes back to this level of consistency in the decisions that we make, that we see that completely different from, for example, the Celtic penalty. I struggle to see that there's a ridiculous amount more contact in either situation. I certainly don't think JT's was a penalty, and I think it's a complete overreaction to give him a yellow card. “

Kettlewell also revealed the players weren’t happy with how referee David Hardie was speaking to them. The Motherwell manager added: “Probably one of the things that I come away feeling a wee bit aggrieved with, because I feel we've got a really honest bunch of players. What they were a wee bit irked with today was by the referee's demeanour and how he communicates with them.

“I've went on record a number of times saying that. If you speak to someone in the appropriate fashion, then I think you'll get better reactions from players. I don't think you'll get as much petulance and as much firing at the referee.

"Genuinely, the players felt that that's been better over the course of the season than what it was. That's nothing to do with the decisions, but it's probably just a wee feeling for me that we can all have a conversation. Sometimes we'll disagree, sometimes we'll fall out, but I just think that that communication element is so important.

“I'll take my bit on that as well. I can be a bit emotional, so can football players, but sometimes you just need to put it on a level and almost not having the mannerisms as if you're a kid at school to waft you away from situations. Communicate, speak, give players an understanding of what your thought process was and I'm sure they'll respect you.

"I know as a player that I always did with the referees that communicated the best with us and it was one thing that they spoke about in the dressing room after it. Nothing to do with the result, none whatsoever, but again if we're trying to chip away at making this better, communication is vital and I think that the communication has been good off the pitch with the likes of Willie Collum. I think we can still work towards improving it on the pitch."