For reasons known only to Willie Collum, Andrew Davies was able to complete 90 minutes at Celtic Park on his Ross County debut.
Less than three minutes into the game he faced the nightmare scenario of being turned by Leigh Griffiths as the striker created space from a great pass by Virgil van Dijk.
As the Celtic striker prepared to shoot at goal Davies crashed into Griffiths sending the striker over in a heap.
Penalty Celtic but no punishment for Davies, not even a yellow card.
According to the Laws of the Game, published on the SFA website, included among the sending off offences is ‘denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick’.
Collum was able to give a penalty, for reasons best known to himself he decided not to red card Davies.
I doesn’t matter if it’s the first game of the season, if it’s in the opening minutes or if the referee feels that the player has been punished enough by awarding a penalty.
Griffiths was through on goal, facing upto Scott Fox and as the laws state a sending off offence when ‘denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal’.
Fortunately Griffiths scored from the penalty but had to be substituted after 19 minutes unable to run off the injury he took from Davies challenge.
Later on in the match Collum issued a yellow card to Craig Gordon for a foul on Jackson Irvine outside the penalty box.
It was a borderline decision on whether it was a red card or yellow card offence. At the speed Irvine was running at it’s unlikely that he would have had an obvious goalscoring opportunity with Scott Brown and Virgil van Dijk racing back to cover.
While there are grounds for debate over whether Gordon should have received a red or yellow card it is clear cut in the case of Davies. A sending off is the only punishment for his offence, Collum didn’t apply the laws of the game.
Honest mistakes kicking in early.
Honest mistake how did you come by that ,week in week out he it refs the rules are the rules , if every Celtic fan knew it why didnt a professional ref not know them ?
Well Well I said same thing why was Davis not red carded, remember Mr Collum has the record in Euro ties ordering off inside 1-2 mins if memory serves me right, he has no excuse for yesterday, with regards Gordon there`s a photo showing him sliding for ball Irvine still running he pulls out but Irvine go`s pass him then dives so watch closely
Heard McCann was crying his eyes out on sky, cause CG never got sent off, must have missed the penalty incident, surprised no really.
HH
Just wanna quick mention about the Craig Gordon incident. I never seen any Ross County players running madly to referee to have Craig sent off, if anything they seemed happy with decision, and Gordon looked to be pulling out of tackle. Only people who made a fuss was bitter McCann and County manager
You gotta laugh all the reports centred on the dive by Irvine (he should have been booked)nothing about the clear sending off of the Ross County skipper but Heh 3 points onwards and upwards.
We should have had three penalties in the second half, two when Davies pulled back Virgil, in full view of Collum and when Foster brought down Scepovic.
Unusually, no mention of this in the media.
I’m getting paranoid about my paranoia.
I watched the game on TV and McCann and his Celtic bias was worse than ever.
He was interviewed at half time with his rule book in one hand to try to make his point valid. He ranted and raved that “in his opinion” CG should have been sent off. Well Neil, change the bloody record because everyone knows you are an anti Celtic a*** and that you are incapable of honest unbiased reporting when it comes to us.
The same happened after the game when his anger was very evident and he was incapable of speaking about anything else. However, it was great watching Charlie Mulgrew struggling to keep a straight face whilst all this was going on.
IMHO I thought CG pulled out of the tackle because he knew he wasn’t getting there and Jackson Irvine threw out a foot to make slight contact to try and get CG sent off. If anything JI should have been booked for unsporting behaviour.
I’m not sure that Gordon even touched the Ross County player.
The one in the 2nd half where the County player ignored the ball and just dragged Van Dyk to the ground was in full view of the ref.
Colum got the Scottish Cup Final gig despite being one of, if not the worst, ref in the country.
How the match officials are marked I’ve no idea but this clown had several sending offs overturned on appeal last year……he is worse than hopeless.
Though I suppose having eyes in the back of his head, Broadfoot dive and resultant penalty, gives him an advantage over his peers.
McCann is a souper.A turncoat,to be pitied really .
A person who has sold his birthright for a bowl of soup .
There were many of them .
His hatred of all things Celtic is astonishing.
I know many good people called McCann,he unfortunately in not one of them.
Have you paid back your loan yet soupy?
exactly what I said in the Scotsman , plus he let Craig off because he made a complete balls up .