Premiership rival uses two Hearts refereeing controversies to paint VAR dismay as direct message sent
Hearts have been mentioned as a rival is left head in hands over refereeing in Scotland.
Livingston manager David Martindale has used a Hearts example to paint his frustrations with refereeing in Scottish football.
The Lions went down 3-2 in the Premiership at Dundee on Saturday in controversial fashion. After missing a chance at one end late in the second half, the Dark Blues raced up the park where Charlie Reilly went down under a challenge by ex-Hearts defender Danny Wilson. VAR was consulted and a penalty was then awarded, which was converted.
Martindale was aghast post match and pointed to Hearts’ win at Rangers as to why. The SFA’s Key Match Incident panel ruled Hearts’ opener should have been ruled out after a Lawrence Shankland handball in the build-up. Rangers’ ruled out goal in the game that ended 2-0 to the Jambos was also deemed to have been incorrectly on a two against one basis, on the same weekend Kilmarnock incorrectly had a penalty given against them incorrectly versus Celtic. The Livi boss is demanding better.
Rival boss on Hearts refereeing controversy
Martindale said on Sportsound: "We go up the park, there's an attacking phase, we've got to score. We've got to score to make it 3-2. Anyway, we don't. Then there's the attacking phase. Danny Wilson's in the box, he goes to tackle, half pulls out the tackle, so he's planted his foot.
"The contact's initiated by the Dundee player. At the time, in real time, I thought it looked like a pen, but I watched it back and I go, 'there's no chance that's a pen'. The VAR officials then send a referee to the monitor, which tells me there's two people looking at footage with different camera angles, saying, 'you might have made a mistake here, I think you'd better go and look at the monitor'.
"He looks at the monitor and then says, no, it's a pen. I said to the referee after the game, 'you'd better hope you've got that right'. This can't keep happening. It can't. It's me that's affected this week, it'll be somebody else next week. Rangers, Kilmarnock, Celtic benefit, Hearts benefit, it can't keep happening.
David Martindale on Lawrence Shankland handball vs Rangers
"We're paying millions of pounds for people to make decisions using footage. They seem to still be getting it wrong. I sit in the house and I am watching it back and I’m going ‘oh, maybe you’re allowed to handball it there if it’s not meant, with Shankland and stuff like that.
“You’re coming up with explanations as to why it was allowed and they come out later on in the week and say it shouldn’t have been a goal, that shouldn’t have been a penalty, Rangers goal should have stood, Shankland’s goal shouldn’t have stood and Kilmarnock shouldn’t have had a penalty against them and then we’re going in again. It's really hard sitting here as a manager, that's the frustrating aspect. In all honesty, we should be coming away from here with a point, in my opinion.
“When you're using the footage, how are we getting decisions wrong when we're actually looking at these camera angles? That's the part I don't understand. I can't get my head round it, I'm perplexed, I genuinely am perplexed at how we're getting this wrong. I think it comes down to the individuals who are in charge of making these decisions, I don't think that's Willie [Collum]'s fault. It's difficult to see if it's actually making the game better."