Referee Mike McCurry has admitted that he was wrong not to award a penalty and to disallow a goal for Dundee United in their 3-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox.

Referee Mike McCurry has admitted that he was wrong not to award a penalty and to disallow a goal for Dundee United in their 3-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox.

United were denied what seemed a clear penalty and had a goal chalked off for offside in a controversial second half.

Having seen television replays, McCurry explained that his view was blocked at the penalty claim and his assistant referee flagged offside for the "goal".

The defeat ended United's hopes of clinching a UEFA Cup place.

Writing on the Scottish FA's Whistleblower website, McCurry said that he saw Noel Hunt fall to the ground with David Weir in close behind him and that his vantage point of what had happened was poor.

"I believe that were it not for the fact that I had been caught out of position by the quick transfer of play I would have awarded Dundee United a penalty and would have cautioned the Rangers player, David Weir," he said.

"In my opinion there was another defender in close proximity with the possible opportunity to make a defensive challenge on the attacker."

McCurry also initially thought that the disallowed goal by Danny Swanson should stand, but his assistant referee Stuart MacAulay flagged for offside.

"I informed the assistant referee that it appeared to me that the ball was deflected off a Rangers player. He told me that he had not seen it touch a Rangers player but had definitely seen it played by the Dundee United player, David Robertson," he said. - BBC