BBC pundit Michael Stewart reacts to penalty controversy in Rangers win v Hibernian
Michael Stewart can see why Nick Walsh awarded Rangers an early penalty in their 2-0 win over Hibernian at Ibrox on Wednesday night.
James Tavernier scored from the spot in the fifth minute after Ryan Kent was brought down in the box by Paul McGinn.
There were plenty of complaints from Hibs players over the incident but Stewart feels that replays were inconclusive as to whether or not McGinn touched Kent or the ball and is willing to give referee Walsh the benefit of the doubt.
Speaking on BBC One Scotland’s Sportscene on Wednesday night [9 February, 10:54pm], Stewart said: “I’m still not sure whether there is a touch or not. There you see his foot is past the ball.
“‘I don’t know,’ is my honest answer to whether there’s a touch or not so I can completely understand how the referee, who sees it in a split-second, gives the penalty.
“The ball doesn’t really deviate either so I think it’s understandable.
“Hibs players were complaining a fair bit but sometimes you’ve just got to accept that it’s a penalty.”
Tight call
For once, we’re going to agree with Stewart here.
There’s no way you can conclusively say either way that was a penalty or that wasn’t a penalty – it was 50/50.
However, what we will say is that the benefit of the doubt should always benefit the attackers because, at the end of the day, we want to see our football matches filled with goals.
Kent’s dizzying run into the box deserved a foul but if you watch the replays again, he was also having his shirt tugged at by McGinn.
While the shirt-pulling started outside the box, it went into the penalty area and then McGinn stuck his foot in and brought the Englishman down.
There were more reasons to give the penalty than to not give it, in our opinion.
Everyone will say again about how there’s some kind of agenda to keep Rangers going in the Scottish Premiership title race by awarding controversial decisions in our favour.
That’s a lot of rubbish, in all honesty. If someone like Stewart sides with Walsh on this occasion, you know the conspiracy has been shot to bits.
In other Rangers news, Ibrox News has been told that a player has agreed a two-year professional deal to sign for the Gers.