Scotland an angry spectator
The Daily Record
USPENDED St Johnstone striker Jason Scotland is angry he can only watch his side's tie with Elgin tonight.
Scotland was ordered off by referee Craig MacKay for catching Hamilton Accies defender Derek Fleming with a flying elbow.
But the Trinidad and Tobago international insists it was accidental.
He said: "The defender came through me and I was just trying to protect myself. I didn't elbow him deliberately. The ref wasn't giving strikers protection and that happens a lot in the First Division.
"Now I miss the cup-tie and if someone comes in and scores goals I could be on the bench for the league game against Ross County."
Scotland, who won't be hit with a club fine, is backing his Perth mates to see off the Third Division basement boys and set-up a-money-spinning clash with an SPL side.
But after drawing blanks on league duty, he admitted: "It's very disappointing none of the strikers has scored yet."
Boss Owen Coyle will be without injured defenders Kevin Rutkiewicz (ankle) and Allan McManus (groin).
Elgin boss Brian Irvine said: "Cup-ties have been in total contrast to our league form. I have belief in my players."
Scotland red card splits Del and Reid
Glasgow Evening Times
HAMILTON defender Derek Fleming disagreed with his boss Billy Reid over St Johnstone striker Jason Scotland's sending-off.
The Accies full-back appeared to be caught in the face by the Trinidad and Tobago international with five minutes remaining in the 0-0 draw.
Saints coach Owen Coyle insisted his man was totally innocent and Reid insisted he didn't believe it merited a red card.
But Fleming, who had a swollen face to prove he has been hit by Scotland, reckons referee Craig Mackay was right to give him his marching orders.
The full-back said: "It was maybe frustration on Jason's part. If he's caught me he had to go.
"He's missed a couple of chances and he's lashed out. I didn't really know much about it, I was just trying to win the ball.
"But at the same time I felt something and he got a red card so he must have done something."
Reid, however, wasn't so sure.
The Hamilton boss said: "I know you'll maybe tell me differently but my reaction was maybe it was a yellow card."
The one thing Fleming and Reid weren't disagreeing on was the scoreless draw was a decent result for Accies.
St Johnstone manager Coyle said: "As for the sending-off, I didn't see a lot in it. The ref's given us the foul but then the standside linesman has flagged and Jason gets sent off.
"It was a frustrating afternoon because we created chances that we would have hoped would hand us the opener."
Yesterday in Dundee it proved to be a disastrous afternoon for Clyde.
Alex Rae's men thrashed them 3-0 thanks to goals from Ross Harris, Derek Lyle and Gavin Swankie.
The defeat leaves the Bully Wee rooted at the foot of the table with just one point from their first three games.
