After two angry statements from Ibrox, Ross Hardie performed to instructions today as he denied Celtic two penalties in the 4-0 home win against Motherwell.
The fall out to Celtic’s victory in the League Cup Final has seen the Ibrox club, the SFA and media involved in a feeding frenzy as they toil to come to terms with the hoops winning their 119th trophy.
First of all Willie Collum was hounded into action with the new Head of Refereeing at the SFA throwing Alan Muir and Frank Connor under the bus to meet the howling from the media.
On Monday the SFA announced their match appointments from December 26 and 29, with Connor back in action another angry statement came out from Ibrox on Christmas Eve about the appointment of officials for matches not involving their club.
For the second time this season Hardrie was put in charge of a Celtic, the Glasgow based referee made some minor headlines earlier in the season when he was coaching Tom Lawrence through the SPFL match against Ross County at Hampden.
Hardie had a horrendous match today, he had no control or understanding of the game which is becoming a regular characteristic in the generation of referees coming through that have Collum as their role model.
Today’s referee gave a series of baffling decisions, had no understanding of the advantage role and showed a Collum like contempt for all of the players sharing his pitch.
The penalty wasn’t given to Celtic.
It was given as a freekick to Motherwell for this https://t.co/GEg1qp5gUW pic.twitter.com/t1kAc02C25— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) December 26, 2024
With the score at 0-0 Adam Idah sent Daizen Maeda through on goal, when his shot was parried high up into the air Aston Oxborough.
Maeda held back waiting on the rebound, as he moved to head it into the net a boot appeared that could have seriously injured the Celtic striker.
Seconds later Hardie blew for a free kick against Paulo Bernardo for raising his foot to a similar height.
In first half stoppage time Hardie did award a penalty when Oxborough wiped out Yang Hyun-jun, Arne Engels scored from 12 yards out.
Celtic penalty shout for a push on Maeda in the box. pic.twitter.com/MvXeQITBIv
— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) December 26, 2024
Six minutes into the second half and Maeda was again causing panic in the Motherwell defence.
A long diagonal ball was the last thing that Dan Casey and Oxborough wanted to content with, the keeper came out then put the brakes on, despite Maeda heading out of the penalty box Casey used both hands to push into his opponents back.
Hardie and the VAR official, Steven McLean a late replacement for Euan Anderson both decided to ignore it, no doubt fearful of being the subject of Collum’s criticism and an angry statement from Ibrox.
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5 Comments
by Mary White
Haha
by Alex
Celtic players do NOT rely on dodgy decisions, they get up and get on with the game!!! and as we saw against Motherwell they find a legitimate way to win again. THAT’S WHY WE’RE THE CHAMPIONS.
I fully expect a similar result across in gloomy Govan next week and wonder what Clements clowns will moan and complain about when they fall further behind in “points won”
by Kevin
Mate we need to get on with it. This article is an embarrassment. Neither were penalties and the one which was a penalty was given.
You’re starting to sound like them, moaning about everything
by Kevin Dunne
Since VAR started SEVCO have more than the lions share of things go their way,was becoming too blatant and in public eye so much their brothers in black had to be seen to makes things a bit more evenly shared , two years without conceeding a pen at home ,but nothing untoward was apparently happening ,aye sure ,they get or don’t get pen and go on all fours to sfa ,more lodge friends and of course they try to help by removing officials, the entitled still believe they run spl
by John BUCHANAN
The first one is too soft for a penalty for me but it’s never a free kick to Motherwell. The second is definitely a penalty though.