“Really harsh”, referee weighs in on Hibs penalty against Celtic | OneFootball

Celtic were 2-1 winners against Hibernian on Sunday as first half goals from Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels delivered maximum points for the Scottish Champions. The result moves Celtic within two points of Premiership leaders Hearts, who faltered on Saturday, with The Hoops taking advantage.

It wasn’t plain sailing for Celtic after Martin Boyle struck from the penalty spot early in the second half. Nick Walsh was directed by VAR to attend the monitor after the ball appeared to hit Liam Scales’ arm in the box.

Speaking to Sky Sports on Monday, ex-Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher reacted to the decision, reflecting that the decision to give the penalty was “really harsh”.

In fairness to the match officials, the ball has struck Scales’ arm and it is in an unnatural position. The Irishman has not expected the ball to carry through to him, resulting in the ball striking his arm and leaving the referee with little choice after being called to the monitor.

Even Scales expected the decision to go against him, accepting that his hand was up when speaking after the game to Sky Sports.

“Yeah, I’m not going to complain. I think my hand’s probably up.

“It just comes through a lot of bodies, and I just wasn’t anticipating it coming to me, you know?

“I’d have to watch it back, but at the time, I thought that it was going to go to VAR, and would probably be a penalty. I thought it was going to go to VAR and be a penalty.

“So, no complaints.”

The decision appears to be consistent with the awarding of a penalty that Celtic benefited from at Rugby Park but it raises questions about the decision that went against Livi last weekend.