Scotland’s referees had another day to forget today with the spotlight on The Championship.
While there has been calls over the last week for action to be taken over Don Robertson and Willie Collum it seems that the real issue is the system that has taken those two to the top of the game. The officials behind them in the queue don’t seem any better.
Referee chief John Fleming got on the phone to discuss Robertson’s decision to award Ross County a penalty after Alex Schalk took a dive without any contact from Erik Sviatchenko.
In the shadow of that decision Collum awarded Motherwell a goal against Inverness Caley Thistle when there appears to be no evidence to suggest that anything near to the whole ball crossed the line.
John Beaton got through the Hibs v Aberdeen Scottish Cup semi-final without any major controversy but elsewhere it was a different story.
The BBC website reported: Ray McKinnon’s United, who remain third and are assured of a promotion play-off place, took the lead in controversial circumstances. Striker Mikkelsen went in with a high boot on Mackenzie but referee Craig Charleston waved play on and the Finn hammered the ball high into the roof of the visitors’ goal.
Mackenzie had to receive treatment at the side of the pitch with the entire St Mirren bench, including manager Jack Ross, furious by the call from the officials.
St Mirren boss Jack Ross said after the match that the United goal should never have stood, that it was a refereeing mistake. The defeat leaves St Mirren in second bottom place with three matches left to play.
HT: 1-1. An even worse refereeing performance by Craig Charleston than the last time. God knows where you start. pic.twitter.com/lDyD4R9mD2
— Ceres Arabs (@CeresArabs) April 22, 2017
The BBC website reported: Myles Hippolyte, who had replaced Mark Kerr two minutes earlier, was downed in the box by Pars keeper Sean Murdoch as he stretched for the loose ball. Murdoch was booked for his protests at referee Gavin Duncan’s decision and then subbed because of injury, with David Hutton taking over in goal.
After the match Dunfermline boss Allan Johnston claimed that Hippolyte was laughing at having dived for a penalty and that he had offered Gavin Duncan the chance to watch a video of the incident. The result ends Dunfermline’s chance of reaching the play-offs.
Gavin Duncan should be unemployed tomorrow. Worst referee I’ve ever seen at EEP and that’s a statement.
— michael chung (@MichaeIChung) April 22, 2017