Ref got it right, says Dargo

Feb 15 2010 by Paul Behan, Paisley Daily Express

Ref got it right, says Dargo

CRAIG Dargo refused to condemn match referee Euan Norris for not showing the red card to Dundee United defender Garry Kenneth during Saturday’s bitterly disappointing 2-1 defeat at home to Dundee United.

Dargo was involved in a moment of controversy after 72 minutes of Saturday’s game when his run to goal was abruptly ended by Kenneth’s challenge outside the penalty box.

The home support screamed for a red card to be awarded to the United defender but referee Norris showed leniency, flashing only a yellow.

And Dargo reckoned that with St Mirren in the driving seat at the time, following Michael Higdon’s opening goal after 66 minutes, the outcome of the game could have been somewhat different.

A Danny Swanson equaliser cancelled out Higdon’s goal in the latter stages, before the Arabs stole all three points with David Goodwillie’s winner late into time added on.

But one of the major talking points afterwards was the incident involving Dargo and Kenneth.

However, striker Dargo remained diplomatic and refused to slam the match official.

He said: “It’s not for me to say because the referee has made his decision.

“He made his mind up, and that’s the way he saw it.

“I think I would have been through but it depends, because I don’t know if Darren Dods was close to Kenneth, I’m not too sure, it happened so fast.

“It was definitely a foul but the referee deemed it as a yellow card. There’s not a lot you can do.”

Dargo accepted, though, that a red card at that stage could have seen the Buddies home and dry against 10 men.

He said: “It could have changed the game completely and the fact that they scored an equaliser and then they went up the park again and scored the winner is disappointing.

“We controlled the game and we were ahead but you have to give Dundee United credit because they kept on going and they never stopped. They got their rewards.”

Dargo revealed that the weekend result was a bitter pill to swallow.

He said: “It’s a tough one to take but it was in our own hands.

“We went 1-0 up and conceded two late goals and everybody is disappointed that we kind of threw it away.

“We did well in the game, there is no doubt about it. We were on top and deservedly took the lead but after they scored their first goal we ended up dropping deeper and deeper – and the inevitable happened.”