‘If we played on Sunday, we’d be in the final’ - Monty slams VAR inconsistencies in penalty claims

Rangers penalty for ‘identical’ incident award rubs salt in wound amid VAR farce

Vente is cleaned out by Roos at Hampden.

Furious Hibs boss Nick Montgomery has attacked the VAR inconsistency that saw his team denied a penalty in their Viaplay Cup semi-final loss – because officials refused to review a challenge almost identical to the incident that saw Rangers awarded a spot kick less than 24 hours later.

And the Yorkshireman joked: “Maybe we should have played on Sunday and we would be in the final now! Maybe next time we’ll ask to play on the Sunday…”

Referee John Beaton, having waved play on, was not asked to review footage of Dylan Vente appearing to be taken out by Aberdeen keeper Kelle Roos inside the penalty box in Saturday’s 1-0 win for the Dons.

Back at Hampden on Sunday, ref Nick Walsh awarded Rangers a penalty when Danilo was brought down by Hearts goalie Zander Clark - in an almost carbon copy of the Vente-Roos clash.

A number of pundits pointed out strong similarities between two flashpoints that produced entirely different decisions by the officials.

When it was suggested to Montgomery yesterday that Vente’s claim was as strong as Danilo’s shout, he said: “I’m the exact same as you.

“Watching it live, the goalie spilled the ball, Dylan got there before him and made contact before him. It’s a penalty.

“I was more disappointed with the penalty incident that the referee didn’t come and look at it on the screen.

“Because I think if he did, the only decision he could have made was a penalty.

“That didn’t happen - and the next day it did.”

Montgomery said he hadn’t sought an explanation from anyone in authority – because it would be a waste of time.

He said: “You can ask for a reason as to why a decision is made.

“But they’ll always find a way to explain what happened that doesn’t really explain it, it’s just their opinion.

“But when you have VAR I think it should really eliminate mistakes, and it doesn’t.

“And that’s not just with us, it happened last night (Spurs-Chelsea) and it happens every week.

“So it’s frustrating for everybody, because if you’re going to put that technology in, you shouldn’t really be getting that wrong.”

Montgomery was also annoyed to see Martin Boyle have a goal chalked off after a lengthy offside check, saying: “Look, it slows the game down. We all want to see fast, flowing football, I want to play attacking football.

“And when the game is slowed down you do lose a lot of momentum.

“At that moment of the game we were well on top, we scored a goal.

“So not only do they take the momentum away, they take the goal away, and it’s almost like giving a goal to the opposition.

“If you look at five or six minutes to deliberate over something that is not clear and obvious - then to give it in the way of the defending team doesn’t make sense.

“Because, if it was that clear and obvious, they’d have made a quick decision - and they didn’t.

“I can only go with what I saw with my untrained eye and that was the fullback was playing Martin onside.

“So I find it frustrating. I’m sure everyone wants to see the game carry on and these decisions be made quicker.

“Because with the technology we have it should be, to be honest.

“So either we keep trying to improve that or we keep having long delays in games where decisions can’t be made.”

Asked if he had any thoughts on how to improve the system, an exasperated Monty said: “That’s not for me to decide.

“There are a lot of good things with VAR but a lot of frustrating things as well.

“It has only been going for a couple of years - but I do feel with the technology now it could be quicker.

“But as players, coaches and fans now it is part of the game - and we have to accept it and move on.”