St Johnstone 2 – Celtic 5: Dembele hat-trick leaves Tommy Wright seething at referee

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Tommy Wright was furious with officials over Celtic's penalty that led to the equaliser

The Saints boss was furious the Hoops got a penalty for their leveller as they went on to win 5-2 at McDiarmid Park, when Kieran Tierney’s cross came off the body of Keith Watson and flicked his elbow.

Wright also believed his team should have had two penalties when Danny Swanson was fouled in the box and Joe Shaughnessy was pulled down by Dedryck Boyata.

Celtic went ahead through Liam Henderson before Watson levelled. A Dedryck Boyata own-goal put Saints back in front, but a second-half hat-trick from sub Moussa Dembele and a Scott Sinclair goal saw Celtic eventually cruise to victory.

Wright fumed: “We got our noses in front and then had it snatched away from us.

“It’s not a penalty. If I live to 100 it will never be a penalty. It hit his hip and it does touch his elbow but it’s tucked in. How he gives it is beyond me. He couldn’t wait to give the penalty.

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Moussa Dembele scored his second hat-trick for Celtic

“Danny Swanson’s was a penalty. There was contact and Brendan Rodgers would have been disappointed if that wasn’t given.

“Danny Swanson goes down and Scott Brown doesn’t get anything on the ball. His knee goes inward so it was a penalty.

“Joe Shaughnessy is dragged to the ground but he blows his whistle and warns the Celtic lad – that’s a penalty. There were three teams out there. I thought Celtic were excellent, I thought we were too.

“The other team [the officials] was poor and they let my players down.”

Saints defender Watson has called on ref Thomson to admit he got it wrong.

He said: “At the time I was a bit shocked when the whistle went. It came off my side, but the ref has given the decision.

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“I thought it was wrong and having seen it back I think I’m right. Everyone who was watching the game knows it wasn’t a penalty. In my opinion it was the wrong decision and it’s a decision that has cost us the game.

"The referee said it was a stonewall penalty. Those were his words to me. He said my hands were up. I’m not going to slate him because I’ll get in trouble, but it was the wrong decision.”

Rodgers praised his team for their fighting spirit but did have sympathy for Saints over his team’s penalty award.

“There are lots of decision in my short time here that have been funny,” said Rodgers.

“As a manager, I am delighted that I got it but for Tommy you would be bitterly disappointed.”

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