While a frenzy has built up over Leigh Griffiths on Sunday at Hamilton another incident in the match has largely escaped scrutiny.
Late in the first half Aaron McGowan was booked for a challenge on Callum McGregor that saw his studs connect with the shin guard of the Celtic midfielder.
Neil Lennon didn’t race from his seat on the bench, television and radio coverage has largely ignored it with no questions asked in the post-match media interviews.
I thought it was a yellow card for a reckless challenge, thought it has around shin pad height. It lacked excessive speed & excessive force for me. If the player had come in with excessive speed for the challenge I think it would go into the serious foul play category
— Derek Crothers (@deaks1ey) February 3, 2020
The great cop out in these situations is often ‘He gave the referee a decision to make’ which overlooks the fact that the only reason that the referee is on the pitch is to make decisions.
At a slightly different angle McGowan could have inflicted serious damage on McGregor, one of Steve Clarke’s key Scotland players.
Issuing a yellow card was probably the right decision, Nick Walsh largely got the big calls correct at Hamilton on Sunday.
McGowan got booked, Griffiths and Alex Gogic were booked, only the hysterical would suggest otherwise.
