VAR audio of Rangers ‘handball’ vs Livingston leaks as John Beaton has two reasons for ‘blatant’ penalty snub
Referee Ross Hardie was not sent to the monitor to review the incident at Ibrox
Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez blocks Tati Yengi’s shot
Livingston assistant boss Marvin Bartley has lifted the lid on the VAR guidance that was given to referee Ross Hardie over a penalty snub against Rangers.
Danny Rohl’s side were being held by the rock bottom Lions at Ibrox when Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez blocked a shot from Tete Yengi with his arm.
The SFA explained to Record Sport that the guidance indicated that it was short proximity and that Fernandez’s arm position was natural for his movement.
And Bartley has offered an insight into what the match officials were told on the pitch after his post-match debrief – despite the take from John Beaton in the VAR room.
He told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard: “There are a lot of football fans that will agree (that it’s a handball) as well, if they have seen the incident. A lot of people will be alarmed that VAR didn’t intervene in this situation.
“When it happened in the game we were quite far away from it. Scott Pittman appeals for it, and he is one of the most honest footballers I know, and once he appealed for it we knew something was up.
“So we watched it back and for us, it’s a blatant penalty at the side of the pitch. We then speak to the fourth official and he says ‘oh, we are just going to play on.’
“So, the game players out. The gaffer goes out to do the press and I manage to speak to the officials after the game and I asked them about the incident.
“I just asked them ‘what was said to you guys?’ and they said ‘well, we were told the hand was in a natural position, and Fernandez was in close proximity to the ball when it was struck. So, there was nothing to be reviewed.’
“Anyone who has played football will tell you that’s not a natural position for your left leg and your left arm to go up. The shot is definitely on target as well, so Jack Butland is going to have to pull off a save. And it’s a handball.
“It’s not just because I am a coach at Livingston I am saying this. If it happens against Livingston I’m going to tell you exactly the same thing.”
Bartley then questioned the use of VAR in Scottish football – deeming a potential review of the incident by the SFA’s head of football operations Willie Collum “pointless.”
He added: “Too many mistakes are being made. Are we putting our officials under too much pressure in using VAR? Because we are not capable of doing it.
Yengi’s shot is blocked by Fernandez(Image: SNS Group)
“John Beaton is one of the best referees we do have and for him to look at that and say it doesn’t need reviewed by the referee is quite alarming for me.
“It’s happening week-in, week-out to various different clubs with different decisions. Clubs are paying big money to have VAR and we are just not capable of using it clearly. There’s no point Willie coming out and doing a review.
“If he tries to defend this I will be really surprised and I think that will agitate more people. Yes, it’s a mistake. I just don’t know how that mistake is being made.
“The fact that we are missing these things when we’re looking at a screen is the most worrying thing for our league.
“Forget about Livingston v Rangers and who it was for or against. For our league going forward that is a huge, huge worry if we cannot get something as simple as this correct.”
