A former top ref insists Rangers should have been given a stonewall penalty in Sunday night’s win over St Johnstone – and slammed VAR for failing to spot it.
Ex-Grade One official Des Roache believes the men at Clydesdale House should have stepped in when Cyriel Dessers had his shirt pulled as he attacked a corner at the back post during the first half of the Ibrox club’s 2-0 win. The incident was missed by match ref David Dickinson and Roache was left astonished that the men in the studio failed to step in and send him to the screen.
Speaking on Record Sport’s agenda-setting online show Hotline Live, Roache said: “I have no idea why VAR didn’t get involved. If the referee has missed it – as David clearly did or else he would have got involved – then that’s why VAR is there. It’s your safety net.
“They are watching, they are observing it and I am not even going to try to give any justification for it. I’m just really surprised that VAR didn’t get involved because we’ve seen them get involved in things that are less obvious and less blatant. But that is as clear a shirt pull as you are ever going to see and particularly when it’s a corner kick and an attacker is looking for a header at goal and a potential goal scoring opportunity.
“That’s why VAR should have been getting involved in that one. If you’re bringing in VAR to add to the game by getting the big decisions right then, for me, that was a big decision which should have been called. There might have been an electricity shortage at that moment in time!”
Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football.