Caitlin Hayes claims Celtic must play SWPL refs as well as opponents as she fumes over decision in Rangers defeat

Caitlin Hayes has claimed she and her teammates have to play the referees as well as the opposition in the SWPL after their 1-0 defeat to Rangers.

Malky Thomson’s side kept their title dreams alive and inflicted a massive blow on their rivals’ with a first derby victory over the season thanks to Kirsty Howatt’s strike. Hayes thought she had given Celtic the lead in the first half, only to have it disallowed due to a perceived foul by referee Gary Hanvidge.

And she took aim at the standard of officials in the division as she fumed over the decision in her post-match interview. She told Sky Sports: “I’ll keep it simple. I don’t think it’s a free kick. Sometimes you have to play the opposition and the refs in this league. At the end of the day I’ve seen it back and I don’t know where the free kick is coming from.

“He clearly has other ideas and that’s why he disallowed the goal. There was no explanation as usual with Scottish referees, without sounding bitter. But after speaking to the coaching staff that’s what the initial reaction was that it was on Tasha for the free kick.

“It’s so tight at the top and it’s fine margins and hopefully that one doesn’t come back to bite us.”

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