Source: Team_Talk
Mowbray sticks up for McGeady
The Republic of Ireland international was sent off at Easter Road earlier in the season after picking up a yellow card, his second of the game, for simulation and he was involved in more controversy in the second half of a convincing Hoops' win against Killie which took them three points clear of Hibernian and four clear of Rangers at the top of the table.[LNB]In a one-sided first half, fine goals from McGeady and Georgios Samaras gave the home side a deserved interval lead.[LNB]However, before substitute Niall McGinn scored the third after replacing Paddy McCourt, McGeady was booked by referee Willie Collum after clashing with James Fowler inside the Killie box, a decision which had Mowbray moving over to the Rugby Park management team of Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown to engage them in discussion.[LNB]"It is a frustration," Mowbray said.[LNB]"Every time someone goes down in the box it can't be a penalty or a booking.[LNB]"It's unfair on Aiden, he's maybe getting an unfair reputation and let's hope that is not the case.[LNB]"I work with him every day and you have to realise what type of player he is.[LNB]"He is fast, swift-footed and he dances with the ball between players.[LNB]"I thought the referee was very good today, he got around the pitch and did his job very well.[LNB]"So I'm not complaining that it was a penalty but like Easter Road, I didn't think it was a booking.[LNB]"I haven't watched it back but what I do know is that there was some body contact against a diminutive guy who has quick feet.[LNB]"What I'm saying is get on with the game."[LNB]Jefferies concurred with Mowbray on the McGeady incident, saying. "I agree with Tony, it wasn't an argument we were having.[LNB]"I don't think it was a booking and I didn't think it was a blatant dive.[LNB]"My first reaction was that it might be a penalty but I knew James Fowler is good at reading those things.[LNB]"And Tony is right, you don't always have to book the player so I think it was harsh."[LNB]With just two home wins in nine before the visit of Killie, which included a Co-operative Insurance Cup defeat by Hearts in midweek, Mowbray's side were under pressure to arrest their poor form at Celtic Park.[LNB]However, the Hoops' boss insists the only thing that separated the last two performances were the goals.[LNB]He said: "I genuinely judge my team on performance levels and if you watched the game on Wednesday, it was a similar performance.[LNB]"We controlled the game, created numerous chances but we hit the post, their keeper made some saves, the ball went past the post and we didn't win the game.[LNB]"This time we got the goals."[LNB]Jefferies had no complaints about the result although he revealed skipper Kevin Kyle admitted he should have scored a hat-trick with three headed chances in which he failed to hit the target.[LNB]"Celtic started the game unbelievably well and they would have beaten most teams on that performance," the Killie boss said.[LNB]"They could have been out of sight.[LNB]"We didn't get near them, when we got the ball we lost it too quickly but football is a funny game and Kevin Kyle thinks he should have had a hat-trick.[LNB]"At 2-0 he could have made it 2-1 and we could have had a lift.[LNB]"But at the end when we were leaving gaps they could have had a few more.[LNB]"So there are no complaints, Celtic deserved to win."[LNB][LNB]
