Kettlewell Criticizes Referee After Celtic Defeat

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell expressed his frustration with referee Ross Hardie's decisions during his team's 4-0 loss to Celtic, particularly criticizing the awarding of a penalty to Celtic and the booking of Tawanda Maswanhise for simulation. Kettlewell described the penalty given for a foul on Yang Hyun-jun as 'soft' and argued there was not enough contact to warrant such a call. He noted a lack of consistency between the two incidents, feeling that Maswanhise's yellow card was an overreaction. The Motherwell manager also took issue with Hardie's demeanor, suggesting that better communication could improve player reactions to officiating decisions. Despite these grievances, Kettlewell acknowledged the need to regroup after the disappointing defeat. Celtic's victory further solidified their lead at the top of the league table, moving 12 points clear of Rangers.