Thompson irked by officials

Thompson irked by officials

Alan Thompson: Feels the match officials cost Celtic dear against Hearts on Sunday

Celtic coach Alan Thompson believes the newly-crowned Scottish Premier League champions were robbed of a place in the Scottish Cup final by inconsistent officiating.

Having wrapped up the league title, the Hoops were hoping to complete a memorable Double this season.

They have, however, seen those efforts come to nothing, with a 2-1 semi-final defeat to Hearts on Sunday leaving them with just one trophy in the cabinet.

Celtic feel they should have got more out a weekend encounter at Hampden Park, though, and have questioned the performance of match referee Euan Norris.

It was he who took the decision to award Hea rts a decisive penalty in stoppage-time, while denying Celtic the chance to respond from the spot moments after Craig Beattie had fired Hearts in front.

"It's inconsistency from the referee," Thompson told Sky Sports.

"If one's a penalty, the other one's a penalty. Initially we don't think the Hearts one is a penalty. It's come off Joe Ledley's foot and come up to his hand. He's so close to the ball he can't get out of the way.

Disappointed

"If he does give the penalty, we would like to think that the (Andy) Webster one just after that is also a penalty. There is an inconsistency in how the referee sees it.

"Yet again we feel like we have been done in a cup game, on a big decision. In the League Cup final we had a stonewall penalty that we didn't get.

"Hearts, credit to them they have gone through to the final, they had a bit of a go in the second half. In the first half they sat in and frustrated us, but we had possession an d maybe didn't create as much as we wanted. In the second half they have had a couple of long-range shots, but on the whole we are disappointed and we thought we deserved more."

Celtic boss Neil Lennon was livid at the final whistle and raced onto the field to confront Norris.

Asked what had been said, Thompson kept his cards close to his chest.

He said: "What happens in the tunnel stays with us and the referee. That's not to be discussed."