DALLAS GOT THE WRONG MAN; Balde had his arms up as usual so I grabbed him and pulled him away.

Byline: ALAN McCABE

ABERDEEN midfielder Darren Young last night claimed Celtic defender Bobo Balde should have been punished for swinging an arm in his face during Monday's Tennent's Scottish Cup clash.

Balde was only cleared to play on appeal after being found guilty of taking a swipe at Hibs defender Paul Fenwick earlier this month.

But instead of keeping a low profile he raised a hand to the Dons midfielder during a heated first half at Pittodrie.

At the time referee Hugh Dallas penalised Young for pulling Balde's jersey.

But TV replays showed the ex-Toulouse stopper using similar tactics to those which landed him in trouble after the clash with Canadian international Fenwick.

Young said: "Balde had his arms up - as usual - but the referee didn't give anything so I grabbed him.

"He put his arm across my face as we ran across each other so I pulled it away.

"I thought it was a free-kick. I've seen them given for things like that but it was just the way the referee interpreted it.

"The only thing the ref saw seems to be me grabbing him as he was running away so he gave the foul against me."

Asked if he thought there was malice in Balde's challenge, he gave a diplomatic: "No comment."

Young also claimed Chris Sutton only has himself to blame for limping off with a knee injury.

Sutton was left writhing in agony after colliding with Young in the dying minutes of the stormy tie.

Furious Celtic players, including skipper Paul Lambert, rounded on the Dons ace as the Englishman was helped to the sidelines.

They felt the 23-year-old went for Sutton in retaliation to an earlier challenge by the former Chelsea forward which left his younger brother Derek with a dead leg.

But Young denies the charge and insists TV evidence proves the damage was self-inflicted.

He said: "With the incident involving Sutton there was nothing in it on my part. Anyone watching it on television would have been able to see that.

"He's followed through with his kick and booted me. He seems to have caught his knee as a result and that did the damage."

Dallas sent off John Hartson for aiming a boot at Jamie McAllister and cautioned five others as Celtic booked a semi-final date with Dundee United or Ayr with a 2-0 win.

The sides meet again at Parkhead on Saturday but Young insists the Dons won't be intimidated by Celtic's physical tactics.

He said: "That side of our game has improved over the past season or two.

"There were times when we used to get beaten four or five nil because of it. But we're going into games thinking we can now get a result.

"The win in December proved to ourselves and everyone we can beat them on our day.

"Monday's game was a battle. We let ourselves down with our passing - me in particular.

"We didn't create enough chances and Celtic had three of four shots on target and were deadly. As soon as they had a chance they took it.

"If we'd shown better quality and hadn't lost a goal so early it would have been a different game. Even then we were still in it at 1-0 down and had chances to equalise.

"Once we lost the second goal that was it. You don't like to think it's all over but it plays on your mind.

"It will be good to get right back at them after the defeat. We have to prove ourselves again and improve our performance.

"They'll have some players missing on Saturday but they've still got a big strong squad of players."

Dons assistant Gardner Speirs reckons neither side can afford to bear grudges on Saturday.

He said: "I wouldn't think there should be any vendettas at all. The players are too experienced and wise enough to know if that kind of thing is going on then we're not concentrating on the things we should be like trying to win the game."