Scottish FA reveal incorrect red card decision during Hearts v Aberdeen

The Scottish Football Association have revealed that the Aberdeen defender Jack Milne should have been sent off against Hearts at Tynecastle Park last Sunday. The SFA’s key match incident review panel decreed that the substitute should not have stayed on the pitch following an 89th-minute challenge on Beni Baningime.

Milne went in high on Baningime and caught the midfielder on his ankle. Referee Kevin Clancy deemed the challenge legal and allowed play to continue, while a VAR review at the time concluded that there was no infringement. The SFA’s KMI panel disagreed, however, with four out of five members convinced that the tackle amounted to serious foul play because it endangered the safety of an opponent.

The KMI panel’s outcomes were published today and explained the review process: “The panel discussed this decision at length with the majority (4:1) deeming the onfield decision incorrect. The majority (4:1) believed VAR should have intervened to recommend an OFR for a red card as the challenge endangered the safety of an opponent. One panelist believed that VAR was correct not to intervene for a red card as the point of contact was low.”

Milne escaped punishment and was therefore available for Aberdeen’s midweek Premiership match against Celtic. He was an unused substitute as the Pittodrie club lost 1-0.

The KMI panel did unanimously agree that Aberdeen should not have been awarded a penalty in the 85th minute of Sunday’s match. Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon challenged the visiting forward Duk inside the area and Clancy was deemed to be correct in deciding there was no infringement.