John Beaton was again involved in controversy as he returned to on pitch refereeing after his interventions in the Hearts v Celtic match while on VAR duty.
On Sunday Brendan Rodgers was left frustrated at the ‘inconsistencies’ from Beaton at Tynecastle, today Graeme Shinnie suffered in a very different way from the decision making of the Lanarkshire based official as his team beat Kilmarnock 3-1 in a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie.
A 90th minute yellow card from Beaton wiped away much of the joy from Aberdeen’s victory, when the team walk out at Hampden for the semi-final next month Shinnie will be on the sidelines, suspended for a ridiculous booking.
With four minutes of stoppage time to play the Aberdeen midfielder was cutting in from the right wing towards the penalty box when a despairing tackle from Kilmarnock’s James Balagizi sent Shinnie spinning.
It was a clear foul from Balaggizi, contact was clear with Shinnie’s movement providing further evidence that he had been wiped out.
In trademark style, mimicking his mentor Hugh Dallas in his pomp, Beaton decided to remind everyone watching that he is the star of the show by booking Shinnie. At the Crown Bar in Bellshill many of the regulars have similar feeling about Aberdeen as they do for Celtic.
🗣️’It’s a clear foul, he wipes me out’
Graeme Shinnie is suspended for the Scottish Cup semi-final after picking up a yellow card for dissent protesting this decision ⤵️#BBCFootball #ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/piBLtMI6rf
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) March 9, 2024
Getting to Hampden again is massive for the club and the fans. We have wanted to give something back to the fans for their backing through this horrendous period. They have now got a trip to Hampden to look forward to where we will be trying to get to the final.
But I am now suspended for the semi final. It was a clear foul as I put the ball through his legs and we wiped me out. I can’t say on much on it. I don’t know if anything can be done but I can’t miss the semi final on that. It’s a clear foul but I can’t say anything that might get me in trouble. It has taken the shine off the game for me a little bit, but what can I do?
VAR can’t get involved in downgrading a yellow card, there is no means to appeal against a booking unless it is for mistaken identity.
After a very eventful week Beaton is assured of the warmest of receptions when he visits his local at tea-time of Sunday to cheer on his team against Hibs in the Scottish Cup, no doubt Steven McLean and Steven Kirkland on VAR duty will get good luck messages from their colleague.
The draw for the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup will be made on Monday night with Aberdeen under their third managers of the competition following Neil Warnock’s decision to resign straight after today’s 3-1 victory for the Dons.
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