FALKIRK manager John Hughes claims his own behaviour may have influenced referee Scott MacDonald's refusal to overturn the red card shown to Arnau Riera against St Mirren.
The on-loan Sunderland midfielder was given his marching orders after a collision with Saints' Andy Dorman, who scored the only goal of last weekend's game following Riera's dismissal.
MacDonald reviewed the incident and decided yesterday he was
happy for the initial decision to stand, even though both St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson and Dorman said they did not feel the challenge merited a straight red.
Hughes, who landed a six-match touchline ban after being reported by MacDonald for using abusive language, believes his recent outspoken comments about the Scottish Football Association could have been taken into account when Riera's appeal was discussed.
Hughes said: "I have to be very careful what I say on this but I don't think justice has been served. You hear Gus MacPherson and you hear Dorman saying it was never a sending-off.
"Maybe the referee has to be seen to justify the sending-off and justify reporting me. Maybe it's something I've done that Arnau has been punished for. It's nothing against individual referees. The boy is out there trying to do his best."
The full article contains 216 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
