Mark Miskimmin has dismissed Leon Knight’s Twitter rant as “sour grapes.”

The Coleraine striker can expect to be punished by the Irish FA after he publicly criticised Glenavon players and referee Hugh Carvill after the 1-1 draw last weekend.

Knight labelled the Lurgan Blues a “bunch of thugs” and said referee Hugh Carvill was the worst he had seen “in 10 years.”

The IFA, who issued guidelines on the use of social networking sites in July, are investigating the matter and it was Miskimmin’s stunning late strike that ensured a share of the spoils and perhaps tipped Knight over the edge.

Miskimmin was shocked by Knight’s rant on Twitter, even though the striker later claimed his comments were simply “friendly banter”. The former Linfield frontman, who said his equaliser against the Bannsiders was the best goal of his career to date, felt Knight was out of order.

“I think he was sharing his views in the heat of the moment after the game,” said the 23-year-old. “I think if he had waited until Sunday he might have been a bit more cool about things and it was simply a case of sour grapes. He will have been disappointed about the late goal.

“The Irish league is a physical league and unfortunately as a striker Leon is going to get tackled. I must have been fouled about 12 times by David Ogilby and Howard Beverland. Defenders will go through you and you have to get on with it.

“I didn’t think the referee had that bad a game either.”

• Darren Murray is full of praise for a rival who assisted in his successful appeal against a six-match suspension.

The 20-year-old Donegal Celtic striker was hit with the ban following his dismissal in Celtic’s 3-2 win over Cliftonville, when he was alleged to have head-butted Cliftonville’s former DC player Ciaran Caldwell.

It was the critical evidence and support from Caldwell and Cliftonville that saw Murray’s ban overturned.

He said: “I could have been facing a bigger ban had my appeal not been successful but thanks to Cliftonville and Ciaran Caldwell; their help ensured I got a fair hearing at the IFA. Ciaran and his club have done something not all clubs or players would do and I am grateful to them for their honesty and support.”