'I have no complaints over our two red cards' - Linlithgow Rose boss Gordon Herd assesses dismissals of Gary Thom and Dan Baur in cup loss to Sauchie

With the game level at 1-1 after Brian Morgan’s early shot for Sauchie was equalised by Cammy Thomson’s header, Thom and Baur were both dismissed in quick succession.

A dramatic tie continued with the visitors’ Will Greenhorn also receiving his marching orders for a second booking, before the away team went on to win 3-1 thanks to Morgan’s second and a strike by Sam Collumbine in the final minute.

Gaffer Herd told GlasgowWorld Sport: "Gary Thom has reacted to a player pulling him. He’s had a hold of Gary’s shirt and Gary’s tried to shrug him off but he’s used an elbow to do it.

"So I have no complaints about Gary’s sending off but you expect more from your captain although Gary’s been excellent for us so we can’t really be too hard on him.

"Dan Baur’s is foul and abusive language which we have no complaints over.

"Dan has asked the boy to get up and then used a few foul words to do it. The referee’s picked up on that and he’s sent him off. Dan’s unlucky, it’s an off the cuff comment.

"Referees these days are following the rulebook to the letter of the law so that’s why Dan walked.”

Herd said it was a blow having Thom suspended for the next two games; Baur can play until a disciplinary hearing on April 14, at which his two-game ban could be extended if alleged homophobic remarks he is said to have made before being red carded are punished.

Despite supporting the referee’s stance in sebding off his two players, Herd wasn’t happy with the official’s overall performance.

“Barring a few terrible refereeing decisions we could have come away with something,” he added.

"I thought he was terrible for both teams.

"He didn’t give us a blatant penalty at 1-1 when we were down to nine men and there were a couple of other suspect calls which also could have seen Sauchie go down to nine men."

Rose visit Dunbar United in the league this Saturday.