RE: BLINDNESS

Andreas Hinkel last night claimed referees are ruining Celtic's SPL title hopes.

The Parkhead defender believes a spate of wrong calls from whistlers have helped Rangers widen their lead at the top of the table to nine points.

As Tony Mowbray watched his side lose more ground to their Old Firm rivals in a 1-1 draw with Falkirk, Hinkel heaped blame on match officials.

Even Falkirk boss Eddie May confessed after the match he thought Celtic should have had a penalty late on when Marc-Antoine Fortune clashed with Brian McLean.

The German stopped short of making accusations of bias but he is convinced his side are counting the cost of "strange" decisions going against them every time they play.

Hinkel said: "It's week after week now that we are getting strange decisions given against us and that's adding to the problems we are having at the moment.

"You always try to give of your best as a player but there is always something. It's small things like a corner being given when it shouldn't be or not getting a foul that is quite clear.

"As a player I am always calm but when it becomes too much I need to say something."

Hinkel was left bemused by the display of ref Alan Muir and his assistants during the draw with the Bairns and insists it's been the story of their season.

He said: "It's not my style to say things about referees but there were some very strange situations once again in this game. I don't like to say things against him but everyone will know what I mean.

"I watched certain situations after the game in the dressing room and there were strange decisions from the linesman.

"A blatant throw-in went against Lee Naylor and I was fouled in the build-up to Falkirk's goal. That's the way I saw it and I have watched it again in the replay."