In some 21 months in charge at Ross County, Malky Mackay has been nothing if not measured and restrained in post-match assessments of VAR and refereeing decisions.
On Saturday evening, even before post-match interviews ran, it wouldn’t have taken a genius to predict the Staggies’ manager would be inwardly fuming at how officialdom had skewed the outcome of this crucial 90 minutes in the relegation battle.
There were three significant VAR calls, the first to rule out a penalty claim after Victor Loturi tumbled in the Motherwell penalty area in a County controlled first half.
Referee Don Robertson and the VAR officials may well have got that one right yet, notably, resisted booking the Canadian had in fact he been play-acting or thrown himself down under Calum Butcher’s attentions.
Less clear was whether Alex Iacovitti should have been awarded a penalty early in the second period when Butcher seemed to all but tug the shirt off his back.
A third VAR call was to prove most influential after 69 minutes.
As Kevin Van Veen, the eventual matchwinner, threatened to wriggle away on the left – a good 30 yards from goal – Jack Baldwin clearly brought him crashing to earth.
Robertson at first waved a yellow card at the County vice-captain, but after running to the pitchside screen withdrew the booking and issued a straight red for preventing a goalscoring opportunity.
The County camp were adamant several defenders, and certainly Connor Randall, were capable of catching the big Dutchman.
From there, fortunes swung decisively in Motherwell’s favour as manager Stuart Kettlewell secured the win he craved on his return to the ground where he was sacked in December 2020.
Warm reception for Kettlewell
County sit locked in joint second place with Kilmarnock, but victory lifted Motherwell six points above the play-off spot after the visiting side made it 10 points from 12 since Kettlewell arrived and transformed fortunes.
His presence in the away technical area might have added spice to the occasion, but it was of lesser importance to the players than the quest for three points.
There was nothing but warmth and affection for Kettlewell from the stands, given his legacy as midfield stalwart, youth coach and then head coach who, alongside Steven Ferguson won a Championship and Challenge Cup double.
Well goalkeeper Liam Kelly was called on to make three saves inside the first 14 minutes, first diving to block a George Harmon volley.
Kelly was equally sharp to save low as County’s Eamonn Brophy, bristling with confidence since his January arrival on loan from St Mirren, cut inside cleverly and powered in a low attempt from 20 yards.
Kelly then clutched a Jordan White header, after the big striker struggled to get pace on the ball from Victor Loturi’s angled high ball into the penalty area.
Yan Dhanda then drove in a fierce low attempt after 23 minutes which Kelly parried before one of his defenders hooked the ball to safety.
There was a poignant minute’s applause after 23 minutes to celebrate the life of young County fan, Dylan Marc Bogue, from Alness, who had suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Motherwell had made less of an impact in County’s last third, but threatened approaching the half hour.
Max Johnston did well to wriggle into space on the right, but his dangerous low cross was knocked over the bar by Jonathan Obika.
Motherwell threatened again close to half-time with a Kevin Van Veen snapshot from the edge of the area parried by home keeper Ross Laidlaw.
No shortage of controversy
County screamed for a penalty soon after when Loturi’s winding run seemed to be terminated by a trip from Butcher, but in vain.
The second half opened to more VAR controversy.
From a Harmon corner, Robertson at first adjudged Butcher to have held back Alex Iacovitti in the box.
But when he checked his pitch-side screen, the whistler overruled his own call and denied County a spot-kick.
Passing the hour mark, it was anyone’s guess which way the game would swing, with both sides showing an appetite to get forward.
Then came another trip for Robertson to the VAR screen after Baldwin’s foul on Van Veen brought the eventual red.
County brought on experienced Keith Watson for wide man Gwion Edwards as they sought to solidify.
Even with 10 men, County remained dangerous, with Nohan Kenneh whisking a shot just wide of the far post.
But there was no way back after the Fir Park side grasped a 74th minute lead.
A well-worked move ended with ex-County man Blair Spittal standing up a tempting high ball from the right perfectly for Van Veen to smash home with his head from eight yards.
Then with two minutes of the 90 remaining, the ball ricocheted from a Johnston shot and fell sweetly to Van Veen to hammer past a flailing Laidlaw from six yards.
A whopping nine minutes of added time gave County a glimmer of hope, but it wasn’t to be.
Ross County (3-4-1-2) – Laidlaw 7; Randall 7, Iacovitti 7, Baldwin 6; G. Edwards 6 (Watson 70, 5), Loturi 6 (Samuel 88, 2), Kenneh 6 (Callachan 79, 4), Harmon 6 (Sims 79, 4); Dhanda 7; White 6, Brophy 7. Subs not used: Munro, Cancola, Hiwula, A. Samuel, Smith, Stones.
Motherwell (3-4-1-2) -Kelly 7; McGinn 6, Butcher 6, Casey 7; Johnston 6, Slattery 7 (Lamie 83, 3), Goss 6 (Conelius 64, 4), Furlong 6 (O’Donnell 90, 1); Spittal 7; Obika 6, Van Veen 8. Subs not used: Oxborough, Mugabi, Crankshaw, Danzaki, McKinstrey, Tierney.
Referee: Don Robertson 5
Man of the match: Kevin Van Veen (Motherwell) Was kept quiet for a good part of the game, but came into his own after County were reduced to 10 men. Preyed superbly on cracks in the home defences with two first class finishes to claim a vital three points.
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