Tony Docherty brands Celtic penalty 'soft' as Dundee boss admits 'decisions went against us'

The Dundee boss reckons the big decisions went against his side as they were hit for six for the second game in a row

Tony Docherty reckons big decisions went against Dundee as the Dens men were hit for six for the second game running.

Celtic never looked back after VAR awarded a penalty in the 17th minute - which saw referee Colin Steven over-rule his initial decision to award Dee a free kick after Mo Sylla and Auston Trusty tangled at a corner - and romped to a 6-0 win. But Docherty took issue with the award and reckons there was a foul on Sylla in the build-up to Celtic's second goal too.

Dundee are now four games without a win and have slipped to 10th - just a point above the relegation play-off zone - having also been thumped 6-0 by Hearts on Saturday. And Docherty said: “It was a tough one in the end. I was looking for a reaction against a strong Celtic team and we were good in the first half. For the first goal, no Celtic player claimed for the penalty and I think it was soft.

“The second goal, there was a foul on Mo Sylla and I feel decisions went against us. We would have merited going in at 0-0 and then we would have had a chance to regroup.

“But in the second half, we can’t switch off like we did for the third goal. We then lost poor goals and we addressed that with the group after the game.”

Dundee return to Dens on Saturday where they face Airdrie in the Scottish Cup fifth round. And Docherty has backed his players to bounce back.

He said: “Their pride will be dented and I want that to be the case - but we don’t suddenly become a bad team. We take full responsibility and we have to be more resolute defensively, but we need to get back on the horse now.”