Rangers: Disgust at footage of Ross County loss as ex-ref disputed live on Sky Sports
Michael Dawson fumed at footage of the decision to award Rangers a penalty late in the defeat at Ross County, branding it “so harsh”.
The former Tottenham defender reacted with disgust live on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (20 April) to a clip of Brandon Khela being struck on the hand late in the 3-2 Gers defeat last weekend (14 April), disputing referee Matthew MacDermid’s decision to award a spot kick after a VAR review.
Ex-Premier League official Mike Dean accepted the call was expected because the defender’s hand was high and Scottish football has routinely judged such incidents that way this season, but Dawson wasn’t moved and branded officials north of the border “consistently wrong”.
Dean said (1.29pm): “He’s unlucky, it’s been flicked on just in front of him, but his arm is just so high and it’s always going to be a penalty kick in my opinion so the correct call.”
“So harsh. So harsh,” Dawson cut in.
“Well what I would say to you,” Dean continued, “in Scotland they’ve been consistent with that kind of decision all season so it wasn’t surprising.”
“Consistently wrong looking at that,” scoffed Dawson. “Honestly, I look at that, I don’t know what the defender can do. His arm’s not up there in an unnatural position, he’s just took off with it a little bit away from his body. I though it was very, very harsh.”
Former Tottenham man outraged at Rangers penalty in Dingwall
There are enough pundits in Scotland who are regularly raging at this sort of handball call, and to some extent it is easy to see why, although sometimes there is an tendency to simply complain about any VAR intervention.
Just because something is unfortunate, or even unavoidable, doesn’t actually mean it should automatically be waved away, but it is difficult for defenders if a ball unwittingly deflects onto their hand.
Michael Stewart has been routinely losing his temper over that exact situation, particularly where it falls in Rangers’ favour of late, but with Philippe Clement’s men faltering badly it isn’t making much difference currently.
James Tavernier stepped up to dispatch the late kick in Dingwall but it wasn’t enough to prevent his side falling to a devastating, albeit deserved, 3-2 defeat which handed a huge boost to Celtic in the title race.
To then follow up that loss with a depressingly flat goalless draw in the twice-rearranged tip to Dundee has all but ended hopes of a first league crown in three seasons.
A Scottish Cup semi final against Lawrence Shankland and Hearts on Sunday (21 April) now represents the best chance of adding more silverware this term, with Clement needing a huge reaction fast.
In other Rangers news, a “huge” number of players are now set to be shown the door at Ibrox.
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