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St Johnstone and VAR: 6 penalty box blows that have gone against Perth side

The contentious calls keep coming.

St Johnstone have suffered a few contentious VAR-related blows.
St Johnstone have suffered a few contentious VAR-related blows. Images: SNS.

The inconsistencies of VAR and the use of the technology by Scottish officials have infuriated fans of every club across the Premiership.

As the most recent independent panel review confirmed, mistakes are on the rise rather than the wane.

St Johnstone might not be the most high profile club in the top flight but they could stake a claim to being the most hard done by.

In the wake of a handball by Michael Devlin on Saturday that wasn’t spotted by referee, Chris Graham, or VAR official, David Dickinson, Courier Sport picks out six big penalty box decisions that have gone against them this season.


1 & 2) Chris Kane – one fair, one not

With Saints chasing an equaliser against Rangers, Kane attempted to beat Jack Butland to an under-hit Ben Davies back-pass.

Down he went, Nick Walsh wasn’t persuaded it was a challenge worthy of a spot-kick and neither was the man on VAR duty.

Fair enough, probably.

Chris Kane had two penalty claims turned down.
Chris Kane had two penalty claims turned down. Image: SNS.

There was an even bigger shout when moments later Tom Lawrence wrapped his arms round Kane as a cross came into the box.

It was early in the campaign (September) so it was still unclear where the bar would settle in terms of penalty awards.

But with them being given for far less as the season progressed, the ‘no penalty’ call on this occasion was harsh on Steven MacLean and his team.

3) Dons double

Craig Levein came into the St Johnstone job as a fan of VAR and in the early weeks of his tenure there was nothing to alter his calm post-match demeanour.

Max Kucheriavyi being denied an early goal against Hibs when DJ Jaiyesimi was deemed to be obstructing David Marshall while standing in an offside position, didn’t prove to be an officiating talking point because Saints went on to win.

But the tone would change dramatically after the mid-season break.

John Beaton points to the spot for the second time.
John Beaton points to the spot for the second time. Image: Shutterstock.

Twice John Beaton was summoned to look at the pitch-side monitor in a game against Aberdeen – the first for a supposed infringement by Gordon on Jamie McGrath before Graham Carey scored and then another Gordon foul in the Dons’ box, which Beaton again had an unimpeded view of.

It all added up to a goal chalked off for Saints and one scored against them.

4) Hearts handball

Back at McDiarmid a fortnight later, Adama Sidibeh was denied a second half penalty when Alex Cochrane turned his back on the new Perth striker’s powerful shot and it struck an arm away from the body.

With Scottish VAR officials taking a strict line on handballs before and after this one, it remains a mystery that the on-field decision wasn’t over-turned.

 

5) Dundee game-changer

Gordon has been a one-man VAR story this season.

You’d struggle to find a single person in Dens Park who spotted a foul by him on Amadou Bakayoko when a cross came into the Saints box.

Dundee were awarded a penalty after VAR spotted a Liam Gordon foul on Amadou Bakayoko. Image: SNS
Dundee were awarded a penalty after VAR spotted a Liam Gordon foul on Amadou Bakayoko. Image: SNS

As David Munro went to his monitor, neither Craig Levein nor Tony Docherty knew at which end of the pitch an infringement had been spotted.

A one-goal lead was wiped out from the penalty spot by Luke McCowan and Saints would go on to lose the match.

6) Livingston leading arm

Never was there a more glaring contrast between the VAR inconsistencies in the Premiership than last weekend.

At Tynecastle on Sunday, Celtic’s Tomoki Iwata was penalised for a ball hitting his arm as it dropped down from an aerial challenge, while the day before at McDiarmid, Devlin got away with taking a ball away from Nicky Clark’s head with a leading arm.

Livingston defender Michael Devlin wasn't penalised for this incident.
Livingston defender Michael Devlin wasn’t penalised for this incident. Image: SNS.

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