PAUL HANLON has claimed referee Bobby Madden ordered Hibs not to contest a drop ball as they chased an equaliser in the closing stages of Sunday’s defeat to Rangers.
The Easter Road outfit were desperate to pressurise makeshift keeper Ross McCrorie in the wake of Allan McGregor’s red card for lashing out at Marc McNulty.
But at an injury-time corner, a Rangers fan launched a second ball into play, resulting in Madden having to stop play and restart with a drop ball at the edge of the box.
Hibs were eager to challenge for possession so close to their hosts’ goal and the potentially vulnerable McCrorie.
But Hanlon said Madden told them they would have to agree to Rangers giving them the ball back, with Connor Goldson subsequently lashing the ball back into the Hibs’ half of the pitch and out for a throw-in.
The defender explained: “At the time, we were desperate to contest the drop ball. It was inside their penalty box and we didn’t want the ball going all the way back to our keeper.
So, we wanted to contest it, but the referee said that if Rangers wanted to give us the ball back we weren’t allowed to contest it.
“I didn’t know that was the rule now, but that seems to be the case.
We were trying to build momentum and keep the pressure on and that kind of put us a bit on the back foot again.”
The defeat — manager Paul Heckingbottom’s first in the league since taking over — ruled Hibs out of the race for third and fourth, and the possibility of European qualification.
The Easter Road outfit were desperate to pressurise makeshift keeper Ross McCrorie in the wake of Allan McGregor’s red card for lashing out at Marc McNulty.
But at an injury-time corner, a Rangers fan launched a second ball into play, resulting in Madden having to stop play and restart with a drop ball at the edge of the box.
Hibs were eager to challenge for possession so close to their hosts’ goal and the potentially vulnerable McCrorie.
But Hanlon said Madden told them they would have to agree to Rangers giving them the ball back, with Connor Goldson subsequently lashing the ball back into the Hibs’ half of the pitch and out for a throw-in.
The defender explained: “At the time, we were desperate to contest the drop ball. It was inside their penalty box and we didn’t want the ball going all the way back to our keeper.
So, we wanted to contest it, but the referee said that if Rangers wanted to give us the ball back we weren’t allowed to contest it.
“I didn’t know that was the rule now, but that seems to be the case.
We were trying to build momentum and keep the pressure on and that kind of put us a bit on the back foot again.”
The defeat — manager Paul Heckingbottom’s first in the league since taking over — ruled Hibs out of the race for third and fourth, and the possibility of European qualification.