An SFA review into VAR has found in favour of the decision to award Ross County a crucial penalty in their win over Dundee by four votes to one.
Dark Blues boss Tony Docherty was furious with the decision that saw the Staggies move into a 2-0 lead moments before half-time – a score line that stood come the final whistle.
That wasn’t the only incident reviewed by the SFA’s new panel, with five examined from last weekend’s clash.
A new Key Match Incident (KMI) Review Panel has been launched by the SFA to examine major on-field decisions and VAR interventions.
It will meet weekly and will see five members – three with established careers in Scottish football from coaches, ex-players and members of the media, plus one rep from the SFA and one from the SPFL.
Each decision will be rated from one to five with one being a simple decision that all officials should get correct and five covering a very difficult decision that requires technology.
‘Stonewall penalty’
On Monday, Dundee manager Docherty revealed SFA referee chief Willie Collum had phoned to confirm a penalty should have been awarded to his side in the second half.
Simon Murray went down under Kacper Lopata’s challenge in the 55th minute, a challenge Docherty described as a “stonewall penalty”.
That decision NOT to award a penalty, however, was voted as correct by the KMI Review Panel by three votes to two after a lengthy discussion.
The SFA verdict on the Murray incident said: “The panel discussed this decision at length with the majority (3:2) deeming the on-field decision correct, noting that the Dundee attacker saw the defenders leg and went over it.
“Two panelists believed that the contact was initiated by the Ross County defender and that a penalty should have been awarded.
“The majority (3:2) believed there was no need for a VAR intervention while two panelists believed a penalty should have been awarded.”
Ross County penalty and Larkeche ‘dive’
The panel also agreed with a red card check for a Murray challenge on Ross Laidlaw in the second half waved on by five votes to zero.
They also agreed no penalty should have been awarded when Dundee defender Ziyad Larkeche went down in the area.
However, all members stated he should not have received a yellow card for diving.
There was also five to zero agreement on offside ruling out a first-half Murray goal.
The most difficult decision of the game was rated as the Ethan Ingram challenge on Jordan White that brought Ross County’s crucial penalty kick.
The decision for VAR to intervene and the penalty to be given was supported four to one.
The rationale stated: “The panel discussed this decision at length with the majority (4:1) deeming the onfield decision incorrect, noting that the Dundee defender dragged the Ross County attacker to the ground.
“One panelist believed that the contact was not sufficient to merit the award of a penalty.
“The majority (4:1) believed the VAR intervention was correct while one panelist believed a penalty should not have been awarded.”
VAR will be in use when Dundee face Rangers on Saturday evening.
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