Jim Goodwin has slammed the decision to award St Mirren a penalty in the dying embers of Dundee United’s breathless 1-0 victory on Saturday, accusing Toyosi Olusanya of “a clear dive”.
Referee David Dickinson deemed that Kevin Holt had tripped Olusanya in the box despite an obvious delay between the contact – if any – being made and the Buddies striker hitting the deck.
Goodwin remains incredulous that Dickinson was not sent to the monitor by VAR Alan Muir, who was recently embroiled in controversy after failing to recommend a check for a Rangers penalty in the recent Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic.
The United gaffer reckons the incident has been glossed over, compared to other decisions, due to the fact Jack Walton saved the spot-kick and the Tangerines ultimately won the game.
However, Goodwin is adamant standards need to improve.
Goodwin: Call could’ve cost us
“The angle our analyst had wasn’t as clear-cut as the angle I saw later on Sportscene, and I just can’t understand why the referee wasn’t called over to review that,” he said.
“It’s a clear dive, for me. Kevin Holt pulls his leg back and the striker goes over half-a-second later.
“St Mirren had plenty of chances during the game and could have scored a legitimate goal, but a poor decision in the VAR room could have cost us.
“Because the referee wasn’t given the instruction to come and view the incident at the monitor, I thought the decision must have been obvious. I assumed Kevin must have tripped him up. But it was simulation, as far as I’m concerned.
“I’m relieved justice prevailed in the end with Jack making a good save.
“The referee needs to be called to the monitor to make such a big call, not the guy in the VAR room. It was plain to see what happened on the replay and everyone I’ve spoken to has been baffled that a penalty was awarded.”
He added: “We need to do a lot better in those situations, as a country, because that could have been very costly; a massive two points dropped.
“Not much has been made of it because we won the game but, had that cost us points, we would have been very upset.”
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