EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 25: Referee Steven McLean during a William Hill Premiership match between Heart of Midlothian and Celtic at Tynecastle Park, on January 25, 2026, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Celtic were denied a clear first half penalty in their 2-1 win away to Dundee.
An eighth minute goal from Yang Hyun-jun got the visitors off to a great start as they dominated the early stages of the match.
Dundee did play their way back into the match but poor finishing and decision making from Tomas Cvancara kept the scoreline at 1-0.
Late in the first half Celtic created space down the left.
As Ben Nygren sent in a cross Brad Halliday pulled his arms back with his left arm preventing the cross going into the goalmouth.
Referee Steven McLean can claim that he was unsighted but there are no excuses for Matthew MacDermid on VAR duty.
SKY SPORTS IGNORE CELTIC CLAIMS
Sky Sports chose not to replay the incident but MacDermid and his assistant Chris Graham have no excuses.
Their job, what they are paid for is precisely to pick up on incidents like the Halliday handball.
Can anyone with half a brain in the comments (who has passed The Laws of the Game SFA exam and understands the difference between ‘hand to ball’ which is strict liability for a penalty & ‘ball to hand which is natural position), explain how this is not ‘hand to ball’? pic.twitter.com/Q71vTSm9XP
— The Global Tablet of Jurisprudence (@gtj1247) April 5, 2026
In the second half the VAR team rightly picked up on a handball from Colby Donovan that resulted in a penalty for Dundee. Simon Murray equalised.
Celtic battled back with Kelechi Iheanacho scoring what proved to be the winner in the 82nd minute.
Two minutes later McLean issued a straight red card to Ryan Astley for wiping out Yang.
Celtic are now three points behind leaders Hearts with six matches left to play.
Football is a game of small margins, this season refereeing mistakes could decide the destiny of the SPFL Premiership title.
Next Saturday Celtic are at home to St Mirren in the final match before the post split fixtures are announced.
Hearts are at home to Motherwell at the same time with Danny Rohl’s side away to Falkirk on Sunday. The following weekend is the Scottish Cup semi finals with the post split fixtures starting on April 25/26.
Surprise surfeckingprise, no outcry about 7 minutes of additional time.
With stoppages ,var reviews subs etc that was the least time they could have been added …#youokhun
This continues because nobody at Celtic calls it out.
The board is in thrall to Desmond and he doesn’t care.
So it goes on.
Celtic as we knew it doesn’t exist any more.
Why would anyone give their money to this simulacrum?
Tony , you must be very old because I am 76 and it has been the same Celtic , cheated by match officials for almost the 70 yrs that am aware of . SFA is run like the old Stormont in the Demi – Province , the Celts don’t deserve any drumbs from the establishment. In Scotland the establishment has always been one or other of the two Rangers clubs and they have always had a sound group of brethren to look after the establishment.
Guess Nicholson would label that
“world class” match officiating…?
Yet another game where our forwards have the shirts ripped off their backs ot hauled to the ground constantly from “close attention” resulting in fuck all. Yet dundee recieve foul after foul. At one point in the match our foul count was 9-2 yet possession was slightly in our favour. Usual from that masonic bastard in the middle
A good redult even if we are back to playing for only the first half. Who scouted Cvancara. He is worse than pathetic. He should have had at least a hat trick.
Was never a pen if that was us we would be raging that it got given against us
“Football is a game of small margins, this season refereeing decisions ‘could’ decide the destination of the SPFL Premiership title…
They already have – It’s going to Liebrox for Sevco !
Is it a coincidence sky never ever show repeats of continuous incidents for CELTIC…or has it got anything to do with Jim White working for sky mmmmm ..I wonder who 1st brought up the village idiots name
Tam @ 7.26am…
Betcha that plenty Celtic supporters still subsidise Sly Sky just as they subsidise Sly Guy McKay !