Rangers caught out by ‘quirky law’ in pivotal moment vs Livingston
Rangers were caught out by an unusual rule during their 2-1 win over Livingston on Sunday afternoon.
Max Aarons netted a vital stoppage-time winner for Rangers as they survived a second-half scare to edge past their hosts, in a game that could be crucial for Russell Martin’s future.
There had been suggestions that anything other than a win could have spelt the end for the boss, but he will surely now live to fight another day following the late turnaround.
The Ibrox outfit secured a much-needed three points in West Lothian, but things could easily have been very different as a result of this strange ruling.
Stephen Craigan explains ‘strange’ law for Rangers disallowed goal
Russell Martin’s fate at Rangers could potentially have been sealed had his side failed to secure victory against Livingston, and he will be hoping that the win can be a turning point in their season.
The Govan outfit dominated the first half of the clash and went ahead through James Tavernier, but they were forced to settle for just a 1-0 lead at the half-time interval, after Derek Cornelius saw a goal ruled out in the 43rd minute.
The Canada international reacted well to finish off a wide free-kick at the back post, only for his strike to then be disallowed after the ball touched his arm in the process of his finish.
| Stats | First Half | Second Half |
| xG | 1.91 | 0.38 |
| Possession | 68% | 60% |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 3 |
| Big Chances | 3 | 1 |
| Touches in Opposition Box | 17 | 19 |
| Corners | 3 | 5 |
It was a controversial moment in the game, and could easily have been pivotal in the encounter, given that a two-goal lead would have left the hosts with a mountain to climb.
The decision to rule out Cornelius’ goal has come under scrutiny already, but Stephen Craigan explained the ruling on BBC Radio Scotland (28 September, 3:45pm).
“It’s that strange law where if Cornelius handles the ball and Connor Barron scores, then the goal stands,” the former Motherwell midfielder said.
“But because he (Cornelius) handballs it and scores himself, it’s disallowed.
“It’s a little quirky law.”
The Gers finally get luck on their side against Livingston
It goes without saying that Rangers’ start to the season under Martin has been embarrassingly poor and nowhere near good enough.
However, it is also worth noting that in the manager’s defence, his team have had very little luck in the crucial stages of games.
Their issues as a unit have been exacerbated by a period of football that has seen almost every mistake punished and several big moments in games go in favour of their opponents.
For the first time in several games, luck was on their side on Sunday, as the ball fell kindly for Aarons to lash home in stoppage time.
It was a welcome moment of fortune for the Gers, and could provide them with the springboard that they need to improve moving forward.
It feels as though Martin will live to fight another day at the moment, but that will change again very quickly if they don’t pick up where they left off in the next outing.
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