3 wrongs do make a right for big Mick

Sep 7 2008 By Gordon Waddell In Skopje

SCOTLAND stars Stephen McManus and Kenny Miller piled praise on Pavel Kralovec - despite the controversial ref getting the game's three biggest decisions wrong.

The rookie 31-year-old whistler was taking charge of only his fourth international and Scotland had been warned he was a soft touch.

And in the first five minutes that looked like coming true when Kralovec gifted the home side the free-kick that led to the winning goal.

But despite the Czech official also denying the Scots stick-on second half spot-kick claims, skipper Mick and striker Miller thought he was outstanding, clamping down on the diving Macedonians.

McManus said: "We were a bit frustrated by the penalty claims but I honestly thought the referee was brilliant. He had a really good game.

"He clamped down on their diving which is all you can ask for.

"I don't know if the Scottish lads are too honest but when you play in Europe and internationals it bugs the life out of you that fouls are given so cheaply.

"For the one the goal came from the guy never made contact with my leg at all. I tried to read the pass and cut it out and he made contact with my shoulder when I was looking the opposite way.

"I was surprised when the ref gave it.

"But it came from a slack ball in the first place and then there wasn't anyone following in from the free-kick either which was disappointing, maybe more than the fact the foul was given."

Miller and James McFadden's penalty claims came in quick succession as both were sent tumbling in the box as they fought for loose balls.

And Miller said: "I felt sure mine was a penalty but I'm 100 per cent convinced Faddy's was.

"The boy definitely caught his leg but it's pointless protesting or arguing with the big decisions.

"You can't change them. The thing is, I actually thought the ref was outstanding apart from those big decisions."

Either way, though, McManus admits Scotland just didn't come out of the blocks quickly enough in the stifling Skopje heat.

He said: "It was exhausting but we can't use that as an excuse.

"Especially not because we got stronger as the second half went on in comparison to the first. It was frustrating though because I felt we did enough to get something out of the game.

"After the break we pushed the midfield on a bit, they pushed the strikers on a bit and you could see the difference it made to the game.

"I don't know if we were maybe intimidated by the heat in the first half, worried if you got up against people that you would maybe run out of steam.

"It's easy in hindsight to say it was the wrong game to take at the wrong time.

"But when you feel like you could have taken a point, maybe even three, from the game you can't really say that, can you?

"We'll kick on though."

Unlike McFadden, McManus doesn't believe Wednesday's second road trip in four days - to Iceland - now becomes a must-win if Scotland's World Cup hopes are to survive.

He said: "There are positives. We made a lot of chances, got a lot of ball into the box. We will get goals if we keep doing that.

"But anyone who says Wednesday now becomes a must win? Not at all. Not at this stage of the group.

"Hopefully we will get one in Iceland but you can't say we must.

"Otherwise if we don't why bother turning up for the rest of them. There's fight and character in this team."

Miller echoed his skipper's sentiments and said: "I actually think the heat got to them more than us because we got stronger the longer it went.

"After losing the early goal it was level from then.

"We had a couple of chances even at the end of the first half and before we got going in the second but never had the break of the ball when we needed it.

"Now we'll got to Iceland looking for a win, the same as we did here.

"We gave it a go and are disappointed to get nothing."