Butcher rages at red card for 'assault by fingernail'

Terry Butcher, the Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager, heavily criticised referee Steve O'Reilly for sending off Greg Tansey during his Scottish Premier League basement team's 2-0 defeat by Celtic.

Midfielder Tansey was dismissed for an aerial challenge on Georgios Samaras in the 36th minute when the game was goalless, and it proved a decisive moment as striker Anthony Stokes scored twice to consign the home side to defeat.

"If anything it is assault by fingernail," said Butcher. "The player [Samaras] has gone down as if he's been scratched by a jaguar. There's no way it's a red card. I'm not happy. The usual happens: Inverness get a man sent off. We had a man sent off against Rangers, against Celtic and against Motherwell."

Butcher, who will appeal the red card, added: "It happens because referees are rushed into decisions. If they just step back and look at it, then they'd realise it's not a red card. I feel like saying: 'SPL, go and sort out the referees and let's get a bit of consistency'."

The Celtic manager Neil Lennon had special praise for substitute Ki Sung-yueng after the midfielder played a part in both of Stokes' goals. "Ki manipulates the ball well and passes it well," said Lennon of the South Korean, who has only recently recovered from a virus which hospitalised him.

Lennon added: "We were worried that he hadn't played much football in two weeks, that's why we didn't take the chance by starting him. But he felt a lot better and made a great contribution when he came on. It was important to win against Inverness."