Hughes upset with referee Brines

Hughes felt the problem with Wright could have been averted

Falkirk manager John Hughes blasted referee Iain Brines for being too lenient on Kilmarnock's Frazer Wright.

The Killie defender and Falkirk keeper Tim Krul were sent off near the end of the Bairns' 1-0 win at Rugby Park.

"If he (the referee) handles it the first time then there is no problem," Hughes said.

"Frazer Wright was at our keeper all day, every time he caught it - I told the linesman and so I was a little bit disappointed in the way it worked out."

Interview: Falkirk manager John Hughes

A Carl Finnigan header after 11 minutes put the visitors in to the lead.

Frazer Wright was at our keeper all day, every time he caught it - I told the linesman and so I was a little bit disappointed in the way it worked out Falkirk manager John Hughes

Thereafter there were few talking points until injury-time when the Dutchman made a save from Jamie Hamill on his goalline as Kilmarnock pressed for the equaliser.

A melee involving half the players on the park ensued after Wright, not for the first time in the game, challenged the Bairns goalkeeper - who then reacted.

Brines showed both players a red card and to add to the confusion, Krul was stretchered off with an injury.

When the dust had settled, substitute keeper Robert Olejnik came on to see out a final few dramatic minutes of a game that the Bairns perhaps deserved to edge.

Before the game started there was a minute's applause for Motherwell skipper Phil O'Donnell, who died after collapsing at Fir Park during the match against Dundee United game on Saturday.

Hughes, who was in charge at Falkirk when youth team player Craig Gowans was electrocuted in a freak accident at the club's training ground in the summer of 2005, admitted to feeling uncomfortable about being so involved in a game of football.

He said: "The game should never have been played, as far as I'm concerned.

"We are all jumping about like lunatics for three points but when you think about it in the cold light of day you say, 'it shouldn't be like that'.

"I think the whole card should have been scrapped but that's for the guys at the top to decide, we only go by instruction.

"But Phil is never far from our thoughts.

"I had the privilege of playing with him at Celtic - I tried to sign him for Falkirk but at this time all our thoughts are with Phil and his family.

"We lost a boy of our own, Craig Gowans, a few years ago and you don't forget it, it gives you a reality check."