Dalbeattie Star left bemoaning refereeing decisions for second week running

Dalbeattie Star were left bemoaning refereeing decisions for the second week running.

The Islecroft side were 2-1 up at Craigmark Burntonians when Jack Palmer gave away a penalty and was sent off.

The Ayrshire side scored from the spot and went on to win 6-2.

Star boss Eddie Warwick, pictured, said: “The red card changed the game. We played more than an hour with 10 men.

“We had been cruising up to that point and could have been 4-0 up. We were positive going forward, threatening in attack, then for the second week in a row a big decision has gone against us and changed the outcome of the game.

“We were down to 10 men and made substitutions in last 25 minutes of the game and used the squad due to hard games coming up.

“It was a chance to see people getting game time and some younger boys made a couple of mistakes late on. I think 6-2 absolutely flatters them.

“Referees have a job to do, as do we, and hopefully it’ll change soon as that’s two weeks in a row we’ve fallen foul of big decisions.”

Star had raced into an early lead thanks to a brace from Ross Hunter.

Jordan Ryan then got one back before Palmer conceded the penalty and was sent off with Steven Tan scoring from the spot.

The teams were level at the break but Jackson Sivewright scored before the hour mark to put the home side into a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, Michael Reilly bagging a brace before Tan completed the scoring.

This weekend Star shift their focus back to the South of Scotland League when they welcome a Newton Stewart team which has won five out of five this season.

Warwick said: “They’ve started really well but if we win on Saturday we’ll have 12 points from 15 from our first five games, which is very good regardless of what