Daily Record journalist reacts to Rangers controversy v Motherwell
Daily Record journalist Andy Newport believes Rangers’ third goal against Motherwell was a “telly ref howler” and that camera angles at Fir Park must be checked after Fashion Sakala was controversially deemed onside in the build-up.
Michael Beale extended his unbeaten run in the Scottish Premiership to 14 matches, but his side had to work hard for their three points after falling behind in the third minute on Saturday (18 March) and fighting back to eventually win 4-2.
However, for Todd Cantwell’s first goal in a Gers shirt, the lines drawn by VAR to confirm whether Fashion Sakala was offside in the build-up proved controversial after images on Sky Sports showed that they didn’t run parallel to the Motherwell 18-yard box.
“Camera angles at Fir Park need looking at after offside drama,” Newport wrote in the Daily Record (Monday 20 March, page 47)
“Elie Youan can feel hard done by after his red card at Celtic Park but there’s no way to explain how VAR misses the Andy Considine handball at Rugby Park. A telly ref howler.”
Blunder
For those watching the Gers gallop to another win on Sky Sports, the images that accompanied the VAR check were almost laughable.
The line to check if Sakala was offside was so clearly not straight, and even at an angle, looked ever-so-slightly incorrect, but it was about time we got some luck.
Although we are yet to see conclusive proof that the Rangers winger was offside, he did look to be beyond the last defender by the naked eye.
This was just the luck that Beale and his Rangers side needed in the game after a scruffy start that saw them fall behind after just three minutes. Despite the goal looking marginally offside, every travelling supporter would have been thrilled to see Cantwell popping up to finish the move off.
The ex-Norwich City man has been a bright spark for Rangers in recent weeks and deserved to get his name on the scoresheet, even if it was a controversial one.
In other Rangers news, an official club partner was “embarrassed” by what happened in the 4-2 win v Motherwell.