Hearts incident was ‘right on the limit’ as Willie Collum addresses red card question
SFA head of referees has say on Fir Park flashpoint
Hearts may have been fortunate to avoid a red card during their 2-0 victory over Motherwell at Fir Park over an incident described by SFA head of referees Willie Collum as "right on the limit".
Rogers Mato, who was deputising at right-back for Hearts due to injury absences in the Premiership encounter on October 25, caught Motherwell's Jardell Kanga high on the knee with his studs on a follow through during an attempted clearance.
The challenge occured in the 71st minute when Hearts were leading 1-0 through Claudio Braga's first-half opener before substitute Calvin Miller added a late second goal to seal the victory.
Collum admitted that if referee Duncan Nicolson has awarded a red card on field, rather than the yellow card that was given, then VAR would have been expected to uphold the sending off.
"I think this is right on the limit," Collum stated on the SFA's VAR Review Show. "We've discussed this with the referees. If the referee had given a red card on the field, check complete for us.
"But the referee gives yellow, he sees it, he describes it, the VAR team look, they don't see that it's excessive force or brutality, and for them there is enough to support the yellow card here.
"We don't want to go finding every detail to start giving red cards. You're right to question about consistency and whatever. But I think this is right on the limit.
"I think if this decision is missed on-field and the referee gives nothing there is even more scope for going into a more in-depth check, perhaps around serious foul play."
Collum, however, was ultimately satisfied with the conclusion that was reached by the officials.
"I think there is evidence that this is reckless rather than endangering," he added. "We've also taken time to remind the referees, on-off contact, we need to be careful because there will be times where on-off contact does constitute a red. But what we'd be looking for more to take it to the next level as a categorical red card is a push onto that area of the knee, and a continuation of that. When it is rapid like that, sometimes it's more reckless, than it is red."