Kris Boyd has questioned the amount of stoppage time played during Celtic’s Scottish Cup tie with Dundee, after Junior Adamu scored a late equaliser that forced extra time.

Celtic were behind as the game entered added time, with five minutes initially indicated. Adamu eventually struck in the 96th minute, keeping Celtic in the tie before they went on to win in extra time.

Boyd’s reaction focused on the timing of the goal, suggesting Celtic were allowed to play on until they scored. It was a familiar line of criticism, aimed at the referee rather than the football that unfolded late on.

What those comments overlooked was a clear and lengthy stoppage that happened during the added time itself. Kieran Tierney was kicked in the face while challenging for the ball and went down immediately.

Tierney remained on the ground for close to three minutes while receiving treatment for a head injury. Play was stopped throughout, with medical staff on the pitch and the referee managing the situation before the game could restart.

Under the laws of the game, time lost to injuries during stoppage time is added on. Referee Ryan Lee did exactly that, extending the clock beyond the original five minutes to account for the delay.

He said: (The Scottish Sun SPORT YouTube), “Yeah, just play on till Celtic score.

“I think that was the message from, well, that’s what we got from Saturday night, sorry.

“Just we’ll play till Celtic score.

“Fair play to them, they kept on going.“

Boyd’s comments ignore what actually stopped the clock. Tierney was kicked in the face inside the added five minutes and stayed down for around three minutes while treatment was given. The referee had no option but to add that time on.

This was not a small delay or a quick restart. Medical staff were on the pitch, the ball was dead, and everyone inside the stadium could see the pause. Suggesting play was allowed to continue without reason does not line up with the facts.

Celtic still had work to do after play restarted. Dundee were pinned back, but nothing was guaranteed. The equaliser came from pressure and a clean finish, not from the referee watching the clock drift on.

Boyd’s framing turns a clear head-injury stoppage into something else entirely. The time was added because the game stopped. Celtic scored because they kept attacking. Mixing the two only muddies what was a straightforward situation.