'It's never a red in a million years!' - Watch Casey's controversial red card

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell says he is "sick fed up" of refereeing in the Scottish Premiership after Dan Casey's "incredible" red card during his side's draw with Kilmarnock.

Liam Polworth scored his first goal for two years for Kilmarnock in the second half to cancel out Liam Gordon's opener before the break for Motherwell.

Then came the big talking point at Fir Park, when Casey was given a straight red three minutes after Polworth's goal following an altercation with Danny Armstrong.

Referee Chris Graham indicated Casey had grabbed Armstrong towards the throat, and stuck with his original call despite being called to the monitor to review the incident by video assistant referee David Dickinson.

Guidance provided by the Scottish FA said the red card was given for violent conduct due to Casey's hand being close to Armstrong's chin, but Kettlewell said he is "concerned" if the bar for sending offs is set at that threshold, with Casey's grab appearing to have little force behind it.

Aston Villa and Scotland midfielder John McGinn called it "the worst decision I've seen", on social media platform X.

"It's quite incredible," Motherwell boss Kettlewell told BBC Scotland.

"Him being sent to the monitor suggests he's got it wrong. I've been given the heads up from Kilmarnock's bench that this is going to be overturned. And the ref watches it several times and thinks that he's got it right.

"I'm concerned for the game in this country if we're deeming that type of thing a red card. We want it to get better. Decisions like that are not moving it forward."

Despite the man advantage for the final 13 minutes, Kilmarnock could not capitalise to claim victory.

However, they once again showed resilience to fight back and take a point, coming up short of successive league wins for just the second time this season.

It was far from a classic contest for long spells but the home side nudged ahead after taking advantage of a cheap concession of a free-kick by Marley Watkins.

The ball fell to Lennon Miller, he dinked to the back post for Casey whose header clipped a post and fell perfectly for Gordon to slam home from close range.

Despite enjoying a fair share of the ball, Kilmarnock struggled to create concrete opportunities until changing personnel and their structure.

Chances were few and far between until a dramatic finale. Substitute Bobby Wales offered flashes of quality but failed to connect from close range after good work from Fraser Murray as Kilmarnock pushed for an equaliser.

Wales then missed a great chance from a corner before the ball fell for captain Kyle Vassell, but his effort was blocked. From the corner, Polworth found space and fired home despite Aston Oxborough getting a strong hand on his effort.

Casey's red card followed but it was Motherwell who came closest to a winner when Miller curled a beautiful free kick just wide as both sides pushed for a dramatic winner.

Kilmarnock also had cause to question a decision, when Brad Lyons and Andy Halliday tangled in the box, as a controversial game ended all square.

Watch highlights and Dan Casey's controversial red card as Kilmarnock draw at Motherwell

Motherwell below best but will take point

Motherwell have been in decent form and in a tightly packed Scottish Premiership that usually brings rewards. They will be frustrated to have gone ahead and not held on, but stay fourth in the table with a point.

Not that they were at their best here. Not by a stretch but they nullified Kilmarnock until the visitors improved when substitutes came on.

The red card late on significantly hampered their ability to force a winner and that decision may well be challenged in due course, given the lack of force in Casey's grab of Armstrong off the ball.

Despite that setback, Motherwell still showed a willingness to go and win the game.

They face a tough run away to Celtic and at home to Rangers, but will be content with where they are right now.

Kilmarnock find way to earn valuable draw

McInnes will no doubt be really frustrated by this one. At one stage his side looked short of ideas. But late on they looked more than capable of all three points.

They enjoyed a lot of possession but it took half an hour to test Oxborough in goal. They lacked fluency until improving in the second half and eventually found a way through.

What is impressive is their resilience and ability to adapt. They found a solution but couldn't quite turn the game around fully.

The stop-start nature of the match did not help with lots of fouls slowing down play.

A victory would have moved them closer to the top six, but a point and extending their unbeaten run will have to do with Aberdeen at home to come on Boxing Day.

What they said

Casey red card 'quite incredible' - Kettlewell

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell: "I didn't think we played vey well. I didn't think we passed the ball in the fashion we try and do. For that I always take responsibility.

"I felt we fought and scrapped our way through elements of the game. "[The red card] Questionable is an understatement. I always try and be honest. I am sick and fed up of it."

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "We were the better team throughout. We were the better team in the first half and the goal went against the run of play.

"It's such an untidy, scrappy goal and we had it all to do. Our response was good though. Second half, we worked down the sides a lot more, played in their half more, had more vigour about us.

"We deservedly got our equaliser."

Related topics