CELTIC were denied a stonewall penalty against Hearts on Saturday at Tynecastle despite VAR coming into play.
The bhoys were drawing 1-1 when Michael Smith clearly leaned his hand towards the ball to stop it from getting into the box. Referee Nick Walsh didn’t want to give it, and when Celtic fans waited for the VAR intervention, it never came.
The decision not to even ask the referee to look at it and the swift nature of the VAR official Stevie McLean to brush over the incident was astounding.
Most people who have watched the incident have agreed it was a penalty. The only two people who have watched it on a TV monitor and don’t think it’s a penalty is Stevie McClean and former Hearts captain and BBC Pundit Michael Stewart.
Bobby Madden has now had his say on the incident; the former SPFL whistler left the Scottish system in the summer to head down south. He was prone to making some absolute howling decisions over the piece, but even Madden can’t see why a penalty was not awarded by VAR.
The referee wrote on his Instagram story:
“Handball is so subjective – it will always split a room. Difficult call live.
Personally, I think it’s a penalty and should have been VAR intervention.”
Lucky, the decision did not impact Celtic getting the three points. Despite conceding two penalties and having two goals chopped off, Celtic won the game 4-3.
Typical OB response. Madden was and still is another bigot.