Debatable Decisions SPL

Six weeks down already, doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun? We welcome Simon Furnivall back to the fold after a while out injured and he’s back just in time for a run of poor decisions from the SPL referees. Is he a bad luck curse?

St Johnstone – Celtic

Commons Penalty Shout

Gary – Yeah I think it’s fair to say the defender didn’t get a foot on the ball and did get in the way of Commons who was going for the ball. Penalty for me.

Simon – How this wasn’t given as a penalty, I can’t quite understand. The defender quite clearly takes Commons out and, as well as conceding a penalty, should have also been sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Robert – Incorrect decision by the referee for sure. Anderson went through Commons without touching the ball – no intent, but it doesn’t matter. Celtic should feel aggrieved about that.

Paul – 100% a penalty. Crazy decision from the referee, Euan Norris.

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

Dundee – Motherwell

Higdon Penalty Shout

Gary – Nope goes down far too easily, so not a penalty for me as it’s not a foul.

Simon – Although the defender puts his foot across Higdon, I don’t believe that the striker was impeded and the referee was right to wave play on.

Robert – Clumsy by Davidson, his hesitation to clear the ball meant he left his leg in and fouled Higdon. Another unintentional foul but still, lucky not to concede a spot kick.

Paul – Doesn’t look like there is much call for a penalty there, Higdon goes down pretty easily and I think the ref has called this one correct.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

Inverness CT – Aberdeen

Tudor-Jones Red Card

Gary – Yeah it was late, reckless, high and studs showing. So I think it was the correct decision by the official.

Simon – Tudor-Jones clearly jumps into the tackle, therefore out of control of his bodyweight and using excessive force. A clear red card and the sort of tackle I have no time for at all.

Robert – Tudor-Jones left the ground and flew in. Dangerous foul play. Deserved the red and the ref got it correct.

Paul – Lunges in with studs showing and jumps off the ground when attempting the tackle. Correct decision

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

ICT Pen and Anderson Red

Gary – Yeah it was the last man, through on goal and a goal scoring opportunity so yeah good call from the ref.

Simon – Although the defender got a brief touch on the ball, he also tripped the attacker and denied him the chance to get a shot on goal. The referee was correct on both accounts for me.

Robert – I understand why Aberdeen have contested this, Anderson definitely seems to divert the ball, slightly. However, it is very hard to say and I’ve got to side with the ref’s decision.

Paul – Both correct decisions again by the referee, Anderson takes the player down inside the box and stops a goal scoring opportunity.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decisions

Foran Tackle (Yellow Given)

Gary – I think it was ‘just’ the right call, it was a little reckless but I think the Aberdeen boy makes the most of it and a yellow probably the right call.

Simon – A tackle that sits on the border between red and yellow for me. The fact that Foran didn’t leave the ground, and kept most of his weight on his trailing leg just about saves him and means that the tackle was reckless rather than using excessive force. I’ll back the referee this time.

Robert – It was a hard challenge for sure but a fine call from the ref.

Paul – Again the correct decision in my eyes, he doesn’t win the ball but he isn’t overly aggressive and there is no studs showing.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

ICT Penalty Shout

Gary – I think it’s a penalty, the Inverness striker brings his foot back and the Aberdeen defender then obstructs him, so for me I think it’s a penalty.

Simon – A clear penalty in my eyes, the Aberdeen defender clatters into the attacker and brings him down.

Robert – With the ref so well positioned I fail to understand how he got this wrong, Reynolds reaches round Doran and bundles him over. Should have been a penalty and the ref got this one wrong.

Paul – A difficult one to call but I think again the referee is correct, he is put under pressure from Reynolds but no more than that.

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

St Mirren – Hearts

St Mirren Foul (Yellow Given)

Gary – I think it was the right call, I may get stick for this but unlike Tudor Jones’s red card this wasn’t high, no studs showing and it wasn’t that reckless probably ‘just’ the correct decision.

Simon – Two-footed, studs up, shin high. This crosses the line that Foran toed in the previous games’ decisions. Even so early on in a game this should have been a straight red card.

Robert – Goodwin looked to be out of control there lucky not to have seen red. Wrong decision by the ref, for me.

Paul – Again, a correct decision this time by Calum Murray, the defender gets the ball but also follows through with studs showing and catches the incoming player.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

Dundee United – Ross County

Dundee United Penalty Shout

Gary – The Ross county man gets his feet to the ball and is in there before the Dundee United man and it’s not a penalty for that reason, also no contact between the players.

Simon – In the aftermath of this incident, the referee seems to signal that the defender got the ball. After watching it a few times (a) I don’t think he did and (b) I don’t think it matters, he still clips the attacker and brings him down. Dundee United should have had a penalty.

Robert – Tokely’s reaction says it all, he thought it was going against him and it probably should have. The big defender was at full stretch and doesn’t seem to have got to the ball. Should have been a penalty and the ref was wrong.

Paul – I think Collum has got this one wrong, Tokely is coming across the player and takes nothing of the ball and bundles the player to the deck. A penalty

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

Hibernian – Kilmarnock

Hibs Penalty

Gary – Think the commentator says it best. ‘He may have gone down early but there is contact’ So even though he was looking for it, he is eventually brought down, correct decision.

Simon – Although the Hibs attacker looks to be on his way down slightly before the challenge, he is still tripped by the defender. The law says that it’s a foul if a player “trips, or attempts to trip” an opponent, and so this (just) satisfies the requirements of being a penalty.

Robert – O’Leary caught him, definite penalty. Good decision.

Paul – I think the referee has been conned here. The striker has went down early and dived into the player and it’s looked like a foul. Incorrect decision.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

Doyle Goal Ruled Out Offside

Gary – Yeah he’s just offside.

Simon – It’s almost impossible to tell from the camera angle we have, but the impression it does give is that Doyle is slightly offside and I have to side with the officials on this one.

Robert – Camera angle makes it hard to call, but looking at the positioning of both players on the 18 yard line, Doyle seems fractionally offside. A good spot and the correct decision by the ref and his assistant.

Paul – Correct decision, looks like he is just ahead of the last defender when the ball is played.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

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