“Devastated and mystified,” Edinburgh City stalwart Joe Mbu lambasts referee following fiery East Stirlingshire draw

BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport

A “devastated” Joe Mbu last night savaged referee Gavin Duncan following his controversial dismissal in Edinburgh City’s fiery 1-1 draw against East Stirlingshire.

The City stalwart was shown a straight red for a challenge on David McKenna in the second half, despite both players appearing to raise their feet contesting a 50/50 high ball.

Mr Duncan deemed Mbu to have kicked out at the Shire substitute, who was quick to leap to his feet to brandish an imaginary card, and, barring a successful appeal, will miss the second leg at Ochilview next Saturday.

It was not the only contentious decision made by the whistler, who also sent off Reece Donaldson for a heavy challenge on Shaun Harrison the visitors and awarded the penally from which City captain Dougie Gair opened the scoring.

However, there was no controversy for Max Wright’s close range strike which restored parity just before the break.

Mbu fumed: “I want to see the video because there is no way he can say I’ve deliberately booted the guy from 35 yards away.

“I’m too long in the tooth for that crap. He went to his top pocket, then the wee guy McKenna jumps up saying ‘he kicked me’, so he goes to the back pocket.

“It’s just frustrating. I’m stunned the referee has made that decision from being so far away. There’s no way he could see it.

“Even the other boy’s (Donaldson) red card – he caught our player, but to pull out a red card for that as well . . . what is going on. There’s nothing in it. They are ridiculous decisions.

“I’m mystified and I’ll be absolutely devastated if I’m going to miss the game next week.”