Another Rangers game, another officiating controversy.
Gers boss Philippe Clement is convinced the penalty from which Hibs’ Martin Boyle scored to make it 2-2 was “never a penalty.”
That allowed the Hibees to get back into the game and even although Rangers went ahead again as Hamza Igamane struck a perfect hat-trick, Rocky Bushiri was able to find another equaliser late on.
But Clement was clearly annoyed that the home side were awarded the chance to draw level the first time round.
Ianis Hagi was the culprit who had a foul awarded against him as he attempted to track back and defend a Josh Campbell surge into the box, with the two players coming together as a result and both hitting the deck.
Referee John Beaton was close by and gave the penalty, and wasn’t asked to review his decision.
Clement teed up the Sky Sports’ pundits by saying he was “curious” to learn what they had to say about it.
- READ MORE: Kris Boyd slaughters ‘terrible’ Rangers and fires stern Ibrox warning to Philippe Clement
McFadden ‘no doubts’ about Hibs penalty against Rangers
And the panel made up of Rangers hero Kris Boyd along with James McFadden and Neil Lennon, responded.
McFadden went first and insisted he had no complaints with the award of a spot kick.
Asked if there was any doubts around it, he told Sky Sports: “No. I think that when the referee makes the decision, it’s definitely not going to be overturned.
“You look at the attacking side of it, I think it’s a great run from Campbell, and when Chris Cadden comes inside Jefte has to follow him.
“It’s great awareness from Campbell to get inside Hagi and I just think there’s a little bit of desperation from Hagi getting back.
“You see there the lean into the back of Josh Campbell is enough for me. The little push, the arm on the back is enough for me.”
Boyd says penalty was ‘soft’
Boyd wasn’t as convinced, insisting it was soft but then admitting he can see why the decision was made.
“It’s one of those ones…Hagi is probably a yard out of position,” he said. “Then he tries to get his leg back across, but by doing that you then run the risk of the forward player being clever.
“Josh Campbell is clever, sticks his leg in between to get the contact and soon as there is contact he goes down.
“James is right, it’s never going to get overturned once it’s given but I do think it’s a very soft penalty.
“Looking back Ianis Hagi will probably think to himself ‘If I had just been a little yard there.’
“It is soft but I can understand why it’s been given.”
Lennon chimed in: “If I’m Hibs manager I want it, but if I’m Philippe Clement I’m raging.”
