Harry Kewell hits out at referee after Notts County league debut red card
Saturday 8 September 2018 19:08, UK
Harry Kewell hit out at referee Neil Hair's performance as his first league game in charge of Notts County saw him sent to the stands in a disastrous 5-1 defeat at Exeter City.
The rock-bottom Magpies were already 4-1 behind when the newly-appointed boss was shown a red card by Hair for arguing whether his side should have been awarded a penalty in the clash at St James Park.
However, he had no complaints with the result as his side were comprehensively beaten by an Exeter side that could have won by a bigger margin.
"We went in at 2-1 and it was game on," Kewell said. "I was confident we were going to get something out of the game. But another set-piece and a mistake and we are 3-1 down. That is when the anger kicked in."
He continued: "I questioned the handball and you have to change a few other things because we are chasing the game. The eagle-eyed referee sees another handball, gives it to them and they miss it so we are still in it.
"Then there was a cross in the box and it was one of those 'does it hit his hand, or does it not?'. The referee says no, we are complaining, they go up the other end and score a goal.
"That was disappointing and that is when I get my marching orders. I said 'well done' to the referee; I said you can see one in the far corner but not one straight in front of you."
The day got worse for County when Aaron Martin added a fifth in second-half injury-time to condemn the visitors to a seventh successive defeat, and former Australia international Kewell added: "Everyone wants to win, I am a winner. We had to try things and we had to be vulnerable at the back to get players in the box."
