As the SFA prepare a think tank to deflect attention away from their match officials more and more evidence is surfacing of the very basic mistakes being made. Predictably most of the mistakes are in a predictable direction.
The new year has barely begun with Celtic were suffering again. Yesterday’s mistake by assistant Ralph Gordon wasn’t match defining but it was a howling mistake, the sort that should be eliminated long before a match official gets near to the top teams in the country.
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— Tam Sellics son (@gibbogibby1) January 19, 2019
When Oliver Burke shot at goal Scott Sinclair was the player furthest away from Gordon. There were at least two Airdrie United/Clydebank players closer to the goal-line than the Celtic winger.
Gordon was perfectly placed, looking across the last line of defenders but for reasons best known to himself raised his flag for offside. Andrew Dallas agreed without consultation.
At the start of December Hearts hosted the tribute act at Tynecastle. From a free kick it couldn’t have been any easier for the assistant referee to judge an offside call.
Helpfully Craig Levein ordered his players to line up along the 18 yard line, Alfredo Morelos stole half a yard and hooked the ball into the net from an offside position. The assistant’s flag stayed down, perhaps if Gordon had been on duty the goal would have been disallowed?