On Sunday it was Brodie Spencer and James Tavernier, last night it was Abdallah Sima and Jamie Brandon.
To the surprise of no-one outside of Ibrox two fairly similar incidents were viewed entirely different by referees trained by Crawford Allan.
When Motherwell looked to be in with a chance of scoring through Spencer, Tavernier panicked as he tried to foul his opponent. The Motherwell forward brushed that challenge aside but before he could try and score Alan Muir blew for a free kick- against Spencer.
Virtually everything was wrong with how that passage of play was refereed.
Sunday vs Wednesday
Motherwell game stopped immediately for a foul. Livi game play is allowed to continue and Rangers score.
Clear cheating. pic.twitter.com/LVf9KV2vMD— camer0n_mcd??????? (@camer0n_mcd) September 27, 2023
Taking a very different approach last night was Willie Collum. When Sima raised his arms to push over Brandon the Lanarkshire official allowed play to continue with the Ibrox forward tucking the ball into the net.
Livingston waited for the obvious correction from VAR, Nick Walsh wasn’t going to intervene by applying the Laws of the Game with the goal standing and Micky Beale’s side getting the early breakthrough they desperately needed.
Referees and the VAR team should be made to explain their decisions after a game.
— Luis Palma (@Lu1sPalma) September 27, 2023
Just blatant cheating, utterly embarrassing all to benefit one club
— Alan McGrillen ??????? (@alanmcg79) September 27, 2023
Hard to disagree why Motherwell wasn’t allowed to continue.
— Ray (@Homerbhoy) September 27, 2023
When will these “referees” have to answer for the disgraceful decisions they make! There’s no way he did not see that shove by Sima!
— ?? Claire ?? (@ClaireyMac1888) September 27, 2023
The same thing happened to County when we played them, ref blows up straight away to stop the game.
— Martin MacLeod (@102mart) September 27, 2023
Absolutely incredible will anything be done? No chance how did VAR not pick this up? While Spencers was never a foul but ref gave it as one unbelievable
— James (@jamesymfc) September 27, 2023
As far as the Sima foul ,or non foul is concerned, I’ve just got one thing to say … blind Lemon Jefferson !
And still yet supporters of ALL other clubs (including Celtic – the worst affected of all) foolishly pay good hard earned money to watch this open cheating farce in plain sight…
All I can say is…. Ye fools, Ye fools, Ye desperate bloody fools…
Clearly very little will be said in Scotland Media wise about this, but it’d be interesting and maybe a good article to look into and put what other club forums are saying about this –
I think even fans of Hearts (their nearest rivals) will be feeling for them today…
Wonder if Beale mentioned anything about it – probably not !
Any other team in Scottish football it would be a foul, 100% but every time it’s the rangers it’s ok the referee’s surely must be embarrassed or are they just laughing at every other club in Scotland. Last year was bad enough with no penalties against them in the league something they were proud off, I personally think it just cheating and there is nothing more we can do about it
It’s up to the clubs to get together and demand answers from SFA but for some reason they don’t bother. The rangers complained about everything that didn’t go their way maybe that why they are getting away with everything to stop them complaining
willie took a dive in last seasons cup as he was expected to do his part for sevco , and last night he was expected to play his part and he dutifully did or he would be banished from sevco as he was previously , the only positive is that it keeps beale in the job longer while belittling the referees their profession and the name scottish football , and all celtic fans can only rejoice with that news
Until someone calls them out then it will go on.
That’s Wullie back in the good books again,no doubt he will be allowed the final now when after sevco cheat their way to that as well.
And pundits and players are asking themselves why we have no officials at European Championships and World Cups,the answer is there from the last couple of games sevco have been involved with.
One possible solution is simple.
VAR is only operated by experienced match officials,
who are currently working for another UK or EU Football Association,
and VAR has to be managed wholly independent of The Scottish Referees’ Association.
Sad but true?
Just have to wait until Hell freezes over now…
They have been doing it for years,and I’m old enough to go back decades.