Raging David Martindale fillets Rangers handball reprieve as Livingston boss adamant 'that's given if it's us'
The West Lothian outfit were denied a penalty at Ibrox to leave boss Martindale seething
Furious Livingston boss David Martindale admits he's waiting for a phone call from Willie Collum on why his side weren't awarded a penalty for handball against Rangers – insisting it would have been given if the boot was on the other foot.
The West Lothian outfit slipped to a narrow 2-1 defeat at Ibrox following Mohamed Diomande's late match-winner, which was initially chalked off for offside before VAR intervened.
However, it wasn't that moment that sparked Martindale's fury post-match, declaring it was the denial of a first-half spot-kick for an apparent handball by centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez that left him fuming.
That would have given rock-bottom Livi the chance to go in front after Tete Yengi had cancelled out the £3.5 million summer recruit’s early opener, but referee Ross Hardie wasn't convinced at the time that Yengi’s shot from the edge of the box had struck Fernandez’s arm and John Beaton in the VAR room opted not to intervene.
Shortly after, the SFA issued an explanation to the BBC surrounding the flashpoint, suggesting that the ball first came off Fernandez's body, and that it was a 'natural movement' from his arm when it made contact.
Commentator Paul Mitchell said on Sportsound: "We are getting some information coming through from VAR, just to say that the ball did actually strike the hand but it did come off the body, and therefore it wouldn't have been a problem.
“It was a natural movement. The lower part of the arm, as we understand. John Beaton said no penalty. I wonder if Livingston would like another little look at that.”
How BBC pundits Michael Stewart and Richard Foster reacted to key decision
Ex-Rangers defender Richard Foster was unconvinced and felt it was a let off, commenting: “His arm is tucked in. It is not outstretched at all, but if it's on target I don't know. Having seen it again, I think they are quite lucky. It could easily have been given. I think that is a penalty.
“I think the movement is natural but it stops the ball going on target. I think Livingston are very, very unlucky to not get a penalty.”
David Martindale furious by denial of ‘clear penalty’
Martindale shared the pundit’s bewilderment. Asked if he was happy with his side's performance, he said: “The performance? Of my players? I'm happy with that. I'm not happy with the performance of... it's hard to blame the official, but it's a clear, clear penalty.
“For the life of me, I don't understand how it's not given in our favour. I think the boys have been hard done by. We can defend the second goal better, the first one's disappointing but it's hard when Fernandez has got that height and you've got that delivery. It was hard to defend that.
“The second goal, we've got to take a bit of accountability. But I don't know where to go with the handball decision. Tete Yengi gets a shot, it hits Fernandez's arm, it's going on target and could be a goal. We got told it's not a penalty.
“I say I'm never going to phone Willie (Collum), and I probably won't. But I'd like him to phone me and explain that one. It's not Willie's fault. But the technology is not being used properly if it's coming up with the decision that that's not a penalty.”
After hearing about the SFA's explanation, Martindale replied: “Oh God. I've not had an explanation, I just got told 'it's not a penalty, get in your technical area or you're getting booked.
“I would argue it's not an unnatural position slightly, but he makes a movement towards the ball, and the ball is going on target. People might say I'm being flippant or stupid here, but I know if it's at Livingston and this is against us, I know 100 per cent it's a penalty against us. So it's really disappointing.
“It's a penalty in my opinion and no-one will change my mind about that one.
“When we're spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on technology to get big decisions right in games, it's disappointing. It's got to be the people using the technology rather than the technology itself I would imagine.
“I'm not going to sit here and batter officials and batter VAR, but I just for the life of me don't understand why we don't get a penalty.”