THOMAS O’Ware insists Falkirk’s Lee Miller should have been shown a straight red card during Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Cappielow — after the striker caught him with a flying elbow, leaving the defender with two cracked teeth and a sore jaw.

The incident happened 75 minutes into the weekend’s action, and left O’Ware in a crumpled heap on the turf as Miller protested his innocence. 

Referee Greg Aitken seemingly missed the collision, but O’Ware is adamant the veteran forward should have been given his marching orders.

And the 23-year-old reckons ref Aitken had a nightmare afternoon, with too many inconsistent decisions throughout.

He told the Tele: “It was a straight red card, no doubt. 

“My two back teeth are all cracked, my jaw is in agony so I don’t know how it’s not been given. 

“I don’t really want to speak too much [about the referee], but I just don’t think he had control of the game. I thought there was too many things that happened.

“Personally I think both goals that were disallowed should have counted, they should’ve stood.”

"One thing that the player did have no qualms with was the penalty conceded by Mark Russell at the start of the second-half, saying: “It was a penalty in my book.”

O’Ware was declared fit to play early on Saturday by manager Jim Duffy after it was revealed by the Tele on Friday that the defender had been nursing a knock from training all week.

But he believes getting through the game was pleasing for him and that managing to nick a point from behind against Falkirk is an impressive feat for his side.

He continued: “Getting through the 90 minutes was pleasing enough. It was an eventful game. I thought in the first half we started well, even if losing the goal just before half-time was a bit of a blow.

“But to get a point from the game after the start to the second half, I think is brilliant from the boys.”

O’Ware opened the scoring for Ton after just 13 minutes from a Ross Forbes free-kick to bag his 10th goal of the season. And, as a central defender, a goals return of double figures is a terrific achievement.

But the vice-captain says his main objective has always been just to improve on the previous season’s tally.

He said: “I didn’t think I’d have any chance of scoring from where the ball was, but Forbesy has put in a great free-kick that’s came to me and I’ve put it in.

“I’m happy with the return. I was saying to the boys after the game that I just wanted to get over the line for the 10th. 

“I know it sounds a bit stupid, but once the 10th goal goes in, then hopefully a few more goals can come from that.

“I got five goals last season and five the year we won the league, so I’ve always just tried to beat that. 

“I’d scored nine before Christmas, so the 10th has taken a wee bit to come.”