The only aspect of surprise was that it took Matthew MacDermid 88 minutes to award the visitors a penalty in their match away to Ross County.
Football as we know is a game of small margins, leagues, cups, promotions and relegations are often decided by very little.
Since the turn of the year the battle for the most lucrative ever SPFL title has looked finely balanced, with VAR involved the fine margins became even finer that usual.
With 10 matches left to be played how ‘fortunate’ would it be to have penalties awarded in your favour in four successive matches. Even more so when you are trailing or on level terms.
Trailing to Motherwell, Celtic and Ross County Philippe Clement’s side have had that good fortune with all of the penalties spotted by eagle-eyed officials on VAR.
Rangers have had 4 penalties in their last 4 league games.
Score at time of penalty:
Rangers 0-1 Motherwell
Rangers 0-0 Hibs
Rangers 0-2 Celtic
Ross County 3-1 RangersAll given by VAR.
Here they are 👇 pic.twitter.com/d7AzLNCraf— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) April 14, 2024
Sunday’s penalty away to Ross County was a clear handball, an arm was outstretched and detected by Andrew Dallas, one of two full time VAR officials in Scotland.
Strangely during the first half Dallas ‘missed’ a handball from Connor Goldson, it seems that after a blip last week involving Nick Walsh that Goldson’s Law has been restored with the former Brighton star excused from the Laws of the Game that apply to others teams in Scotland.
In his 25th SPFL match in charge at Ibrox Philippe Clement has seen his side awarded an incredible 15 penalties.
Against Hearts at home in his second domestic match two penalties were awarded by John Beaton, Tavernier missed in first half stoppage time but got another in the 88th minute to equalise before a stoppage time winner from Danilo.
At the end of November Aberdeen looked on course for a welcome 1-0 victory but theatrics from Goldson were picked up by Andrew Dallas on VAR with Nick Walsh quick to agree with the promoting from Dallas, again in the notorious 88th minute.
Don Robertson will referee Wednesday’s match at a venue yet to be decided, the only silver lining for Dundee is that they have plenty of recent evidence of Tavernier’s penalty technique.
CLICK HERE for Celtic are the dirtiest team in the UK.
CLICK HERE for SFA refereeing and VAR apointments.
15 penalties in 25 league games under Clement. No wonder he thinks its a breeze up here. Go behind and you get a penalty.
— ciardom (@ciardom) April 14, 2024
Rangers have been awarded penalties in their last 3 games at Dens Park.
The last 5 games between the 2 at Dens without them gaining penalties have resulted as follows;
Dundee 0-1 Rangers 🔴
Dundee 1-1 Rangers 🟡
Dundee 2-1 Rangers 🟢
Dundee 2-1 Rangers 🟢
Dundee 1-2 Rangers 🔴 pic.twitter.com/xCBS33oqqj— DPC 🇨🇷 (@DensParkChoir) April 15, 2024
