Dundee United have contacted the Scottish FA to demand all video and audio footage relating to Sam Dalby’s contentious disallowed goal against Hibernian.
The Tangerines believed they had taken a 2-1 lead against the capital club on Wednesday evening when Dalby brilliantly powered home a Ryan Strain delivery.
However, a lengthy check followed as the VAR team, led by Matthew MacDermid, checked whether the big striker had strayed offside.
With the lines unable to be drawn, Dalby had to be deemed onside – only for the effort to subsequently be chalked off for a handball.
Given the on-field official David Dickinson awarded the goal, a clear and obvious error is required for that to be overturned. Yet, no available angle has yet shown a handball by Dalby.
Footage suggests that the ball may have brushed Nectarios Triantis’ arm, however Dalby appears to win a clean header at the back post.
Incredibly, Dickinson was not even referred to the monitor, with “a factual” decision being made by the VAR team.
Seething United
Courier Sport understands irate United chiefs see the decision as incomprehensible and are seeking urgent talks with the SFA after becoming increasingly disillusioned by the level of officiating in their fixtures.
They have also demanded to hear the audio of the decision being made – in full – and to be shown the camera angle which provided McDermid with such a steadfast belief than Dalby handled the ball.
Speaking after the game and, by his own admission, treading carefully to avoid a touchline ban, Jim Goodwin fumed: “From all the angles that I’ve seen with my analyst and from the broadcast angles, I can’t see it, for the life of me.
“It’s just not clear, decisive and obvious. That’s a big decision that’s gone against us.”
Should Celtic win the Scottish Cup, then third place in the Premiership would secure a Europa League playoff place.
If knocked out at that stage, guaranteed group phase football in the Europa Conference League would follow. That is worth upwards of £5 million.
Hibs went on to claim a 2-1 lead following a goal kick which should have been a corner to United, before Junior Hoillett added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time.
VAR question marks
The Tangerines recently withdrew from the SFA’s Key Match Incident (KMI) panel following the decision not to disallow Marley Watkins’ winner against them for Kilmarnock when he appeared to impede goalkeeper Jack Walton.
Dickinson was also the referee for that match.
United questioned the expertise of the panels and called for collaborative talks on how VAR can be improved in Scotland.
The Terrors were also recently irked by the last-gasp award of a penalty to St Mirren when Toyosi Olusanya hit the deck in January – again, Mr Dickinson was the man in the middle – but Walton saved the spot-kick and United won 1-0.
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