'Verging on criminal' Former Hibs star bemoans Edinburgh derby penalty decision

A former Hibs striker has lambasted a major decision made in the most recent Edinburgh derby between Hibs and Hearts.

Suffice to say, former Hibs striker Tam McManus was less than pleased with the decision to award Hearts a penalty during the Edinburgh derby that took place on Wednesday, February 28, at Tynecastle Park.

The decision in question took place in the dying embers of the first half. Hearts' Kenneth Vargas burst into the penalty box, only to be brought down by Will Fish - consequently, Hearts were given a penalty by referee Kevin Clancy, which was emphatically dispatched by star striker Lawrence Shankland. McManus branded the decision as 'verging on criminal' in a piece published in the Daily Record.

In the game, the scoring was opened by Emiliano Marcondes, who slammed the ball home after it fell to him in the box - only for Shankland to level things up with his spot kick. No goals were scored after this, despite both teams' best efforts - the spoils were shared and Hibs' four-year wait for a win at their bitter rivals' home ground continues.

McManus played for Hibs between the years of 1997 and 2005, scoring 19 goals over the course of 109 appearances. During his playing career, he also turned out for teams such as Dundee, Falkirk and Dunfermline Athletic.

Should Hearts have been awarded a penalty?

On the decision, McManus said: "Make no mistake Hearts got out of jail at Tynecastle and no apologies in the world will erase the frustration Nick Montgomery must be feeling after that penalty award. Ref Kevin Clancy’s outrageous call to hand Lawrence Shankland the chance to equalise from the spot cost Hibs a long-awaited victory in Gorgie. But more to the point it stopped them moving into the top six."

Clancy awarded the penalty at first glance, then upheld his decision after a VAR review, adding to McManus' fury. He described the call as 'not good enough' in the 'age of VAR'. Ultimately, called the decision 'very, very poor' in conclusion.