Davie Martindale has revealed that Livingston will submit an official complaint to the Scottish FA over VAR after claiming the officials got two major decisions wrong in Saturday’s defeat to Dundee.
The Lions boss is adamant that Lions defender James Penrice was shoved by Michael Mellon in the build up to Zach Robinson restoring the Dark Blues’ two goal lead in the visitors’ 4-1 win.
And he also claims that Mellon had encroached in Livingston’s half as the game restarted just moments after Tete Yengi got Livingston back into the clash from the penalty spot.
Martindale was confident his team would have taken something from the game against the ten men if the third goal had been chopped off.
Instead, Livingston remain six points adrift at the Premiership basement ahead of tonight’s crunch relegation battle with Ross County.
Martindale said: “I am really disappointed again with a VAR decision, you complain but that’s it.
“You’re not getting anything back, (CEO) Dave Black is going to complain.
“I’m going to focus all my energy on Ross County. I can’t change the past but if it helps putting a complaint in, it helps.
“It’s a blatant push and not only that, Mellon is in our half when they take kick off. The person that pushes Penrice has actually stolen three or four yards.
“They’re saying it’s not a push, I think it’s blatant. I was shocked the goal was given and then it should go back to the phase of play, which starts with the kick off and Mellon is encroaching in our half. That should then kick in for that.
“I think that is pivotal in the game, we got the goal back and have huge momentum at 2-1.
“It seems when you are at the bottom end of the table that everything goes against you. There is huge adverse momentum and it’s difficult to deal with at times.”
The Belgian FA have taken the unprecedented step of replaying a match between Anderlecht and Genk due a VAR error.
But Martindale has made it clear he does not want Scottish football to go down that road.
He added: “That cannot happen, where does it end? It becomes a farce.
“At that point I think VAR needs to go.
“I do not want that, we got beat 4-1 and I think we can get something from that game if we don’t concede the third goal.
“I don’t want to use it as an excuse for not winning a game of football, it’s a blatant error but I would still not want that game replayed.
“It could have massive consequences at the end of the season but for the greater good of football I think it’s wrong.
“I’d rather ditch VAR and go back to what we had.”
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