SPL Debatable Decisions

The SPL kicked off last weekend, setting us under way in our Debatable Decisions expansion as we cover the Scottish game for the first time. As you would expect, we have red cards, penalty calls, and all the usual debatable decisions to discuss and, setting a marker for the rest of the season. The SPL’s referees got two thirds of the calls right.

Hearts vs. St. Johnstone

McGowan header over the line?Mike: Correct call – the ball didn’t cross the line.

Robert: Tough call, no vociferous protests from the Hearts players but the camera angle makes it hard to tell really. Judging by Davidson’s positioning though, I’d say that it wasn’t over the line.

Gary: Nope not for me, the ball wasn’t fully over the line. On the angle I’ve seen of it, I’d have to agree with the ref and linesman, the ball wasn’t fully over the line. The Hearts players didn’t even make that big a fuss over it, just a raised hand, so I think the correct decision was made.

Paul: Very difficult one to judge but I think the ball is just on the line. No goal.

Simon: The camera angles make this fairly difficult to call definitively one way or the other, so I’m going to back the referee and his assistant on this one and say they got it right.

Overall verdict – Correct decision

David Templeton penaltyMike: Correct decision – the St. Johnstone defender left his leg in.

Robert: No doubt in my mind that it was the correct call. Given the referee’s view, it was a simple one.

Gary: Clear penalty, Templeton was just far too fast for the defender, who then just stuck his leg out. Maybe the Hearts winger ‘made the most’ but to be fair, there was contact, and on this occasion you’ve got to agree with the ref. Penalty was the correct decision.

Paul: Clearly tripped after almost losing control of the ball. Penalty.

Simon: A definite penalty. Templeton had his leg clipped and the referee was in the perfect position to see it.

Overall verdict – Correct decision

Grégory Tadé red cardMike: Striking or attempting to strike an opponent is violent conduct so this was the correct decision.

Robert: Another correct decision. Not quite sure what Tadé was actually doing but we all know you can’t raise your hands, let alone above the neck – violent conduct however you dress it up.

Gary: He’s raised his hands to Webster’s head, and in today’s game an opponent can’t raise a hand to another player. He’s hit him in the back of the head, with force or not, who knows. Red card is the correct decision.

Paul: Looks as if the striker lifts his hands, although contact is minimal, it is a red card.

Simon: A cuff round the back of the head and, it seems to me, a wee rake of the studs down the calf. I don’t think there can be any doubt that this was a red card, although St. Johnstone clearly disagree as they’ve lodged an appeal.

Overall verdict – Correct decision

St. Mirren vs. Inverness Caledonian ThistleFoul on Shane Sutherland in the build up to St. Mirren’s opener?Mike: Incorrect decision. It was a foul, defender took Sutherland out after Sutherland had played the ball away.

Robert: I think Sutherland was checked by the St Mirren player but it looked like he had released the ball before the foul, so did it actually have any bearing on the move? Probably not. Correct decision.

Gary: No I think it was fair to carry on play. The Inverness player just ran the ball too far away and then tried to stretch too far. The St Mirren boy got the ball and to me fairly enough. Goal stands, good call.

Paul: Looked like a foul to me, definite contact, Free-kick.

Simon: To me it seems that Sutherland gets fouled both when he has the ball and when he doesn’t. There may have been arguments that it was soft, but I would have awarded a free kick, meaning that St. Mirren wouldn’t have gone straight up the other end and scored.

Overall verdict – Incorrect decision

Inverness penalty shoutMike: Incorrect. Teale played it with the top of his arm. That’s handball and a penalty.

Robert: Not a lot made of this, but I think ICT have a right to feel aggreived about that one. Seems to have struck his arm and I don’t accept there was nothing he could do about it. Hard call to make, but the wrong one was made for me.

Gary: Nope not handball, if anything it’s hit the top of his chest, maybe closer to his shoulder. definitely not a handball though. Another good call from the ref/linesmen.

Paul: No penalty, ball strikes the player on the top of his shoulder.

Simon: I can’t agree with Gary and Paul in their estimation of where the ball hit Gary Teale. For me it strikes him on the top of the arm as he leans into the shot and a penalty should have been awarded. However, I can understand the referee missing it as his view was blocked by an Inverness player.

Overall verdict – Incorrect decision.

Lewis Guy red cardMike: Correct for the same reasons as Tadé, striking or attempting to strike an opponent is violent conduct, so worthy of a red card.

Robert: Wrong decison. We’ve all seen players grapple for the ball for the restart and that’s all that Guy was doing. No aggresive contact seems to have been made, let alone with Draper’s face. Horrible play acting. Saving grace about this wrong decision is that as it was a straight red, St Mirren will be able to appeal.

Gary: The word harsh comes to mind, a yellow may have been enough. Guy is just annoyed as he’s wanting the ball back, but the player is trying to annoy him, he succeeds in doing so and gets him sent off. Wrong call for me, a yellow would have been enough.

Paul: Pretty silly call from the referee, player is trying to get the ball back and the player holding the ball won’t be winning any acting awards anytime soon. Should be rescinded.

Simon: Guy goes to slap the ball out of the defender’s hands, when that doesn’t work he hits it from below and it bounces into Ross Draper’s chest. Draper then goes down clutching his face. At very worst this could be deserving of a yellow card for ungentlemanly conduct, but even that would have been harsh in my opinion.

Overall verdict – Incorrect decision.

Dundee United vs. Hibernian

Johnny Russell penalty shoutMike: Correct. No penalty.

Robert: Looks like a penalty until you really see it up close. The ‘keeper is arguably the one fouled, although Russell couldn’t o a lot about the position of his leg, he drags it into the ‘keeper’s body whilst Williams was carried forward by momentum. Straightforward clash. Good call from Thomson.

Gary: Nope once again the ref has this one right. The keepers advanced as he’s allowed and the Dundee United man’s boot, after he’s hit the ball has went into the side of the keeper. Not the keepers fault and the correct call.

Paul: No penalty, keeper very much has eyes on the ball and Russell’s leg is left trailing.

Simon: On first look I thought this might have been a penalty, but on closer inspection it’s Russell who left his leg trailing and Williams can’t be blamed for the coming together.

Overall verdict – Correct decision.

Obstruction on Tim Clancy in build up to opening goalMike: Correct. I’ve watched it 10 times and I can’t even see what might be wrong!

Robert: Another toughie. Looks like Clancy runs into the Dundee United player more than anything else, lack of awareness perhaps from both. Would understand the frustrations of hibs but even if he was impeded he probably wouldn’t have closed down in time anyway. I’ll side with the ref on this one.

Gary: It’s really hard to see it from the camera angle available, it’s a tough one for the ref but from that angle it does look like he’s held up a little and if that didn’t happen he may have got back quick enough. So yeah the wrong call for the ref on this one for me.

Paul: Difficult to tell but looks like minimal contact. No free-kick.

Simon: To me it looks more like Clancy isn’t looking where he’s going and runs into the Dundee United player, so I’m siding with the referee on this one.

Overall verdict – Correct decision.

Offside call for Jon Daly’s goalMike: Correct – Daly is half a yard onside.

Robert: Daly looks to be level with the Hibs defender. Another good call and I’ll side with the ref on this one too.

Gary: It’s the correct call, as the linesman is looking along the line he’ll see I think it’s McPake and he’s playing Daly onside, just though. But that’s all you need and the goal did and should have stood.

Paul: Striker given benefit of the doubt and it looked onside. Goal

Simon: Not by much, but Daly is definitely onside. I get frustrated when these are given incorrectly, so credit to the assistant referee for getting it right.

Overall verdict – Correct decision.

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You can follow our five judges on Twitter. Mike – @19Mikey67, Robert – @RMcCracken91, Gary – @Linton1388, Paul – @Steakheed, Simon – @SFurnivall.