20 penalties per game- Even Martindale despairs as Tavpen sinks Livingston

Even Davie Martindale despaired when referee David Dickinson pointed to the penalty spot in yesterday’s match at Livingston yesterday.

Despite his blip against Partick Thistle last week the Livingston boss knows that ‘Tav does what Tav does’ and with that the club that pays his wages found themselves a goal behind.

For 20 minutes Livingston were coping with the threat from their visitors but the tag-team of Andrew Dallas and David Dickinson weren’t going to be denied.

Dickinson is one of the rising stars on the refereeing circuit, if he falls off message there is always Four-pens Dallas to ensure that the right outcome is arrived at.

As a cross came in from the left wing Alfredo Morelos quickly pushed at James Penrice who responded by pulling at the striker’s jersey. In the VAR studio only one action was picked up by Dallas.

Speaking to The Sun, Martindale said:

I don’t think it’s a penalty, I think it’s very soft. I’m going to concede he had his jersey but I don’t think he pulled it. I don’t think there was any force in it.

The momentum of Morelos’ body shape didn’t change. I think it was very harsh. There would have been 20-odd penalties being given for someone holding the opposition player’s shirt.

It happens to Joel Nouble every day of the week, all over the park, and we don’t seem to get free-kicks or penalties.

In the 77th minute Stephene Omeonga was given his second yellow card with goals following in the 78th and 85th minutes.

Five minutes into last week’s Scottish Cup tie against Partick Thistle Malik Tillman grabbed an opponents and wrestled him to the ground inside the penalty area, after a VAR check play continued with a throw-in to Thistle.