Ex-Rangers defender Lewis Mayo has had a red card appeal thrown out by the SFA on a day dominated by headlines surrounding Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun.
The 23-year-old Killie centre-back was sent off for a last-man tussle with Dundee forward Scott Tiffoney which led to a penalty for the Dens Park side at the weekend.
Whilst the match ended 2-2, Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes was aggrieved at full-time that the VAR team didn’t send the referee to the monitor to review the decision.
After appealing the decision, Lewis Mayo has had the red card upheld and will now miss Kilmarnock’s next league game against St Mirren.
Ex-Rangers kid Lewis Mayo to miss Kilmarnock match
The appeal will come as a blow to Kilmarnock and Lewis Mayo, with the Rangers Academy graduate emerging as a key player for the Ayrshire side this season.
Having initially joined Kilmarnock and Derek McInnes on loan in the Scottish Championship last season, the Rugby Park club have built on their success this season and are 5th in the Scottish Premiership.
Overtaken by St Mirren over the weekend – who are a point ahead of Killie – losing Lewis Mayo for the crucial Premiership clash at Rugby Park is a big blow to Kilmarnock’s European ambitions.
Whilst 3rd place in the Scottish top tier is guaranteed group stage football next season, the team that finishes 4th is entered in Europa Conference League qualifiers.
Celtic appeal for Yang red card thrown out
The decision to uphold the red card shown to Celtic star Yang in the face of our Old Firm rival’s appeal will also be of keen interest to Ibrox fans.
In the wake of the Parkhead side’s 2-0 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle all the talk was about referee John Beaton with Clyde pundit Hugh Keevins accusing Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers of “dog-whistling” to pro-Rangers conspiracy theories.
Now that the decision – which ultimately rests with referee Don Robertson – has been upheld it further brings into question the comments made by the Celtic boss.
Rangers and the rest of the SPFL will be watching very closely indeed after Rodgers directly breached the SFA’s rules with regards comments on referees.
