Referees never have it easy and, in Sunday’s Old Firm, John Beaton had a game that he will probably always remember.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement commended him on his performance, even if he doesn’t like the handball law that saw Connor Goldson punished, even though he did us no favours.
The only dissenting voices on John Beaton’s display were those of a green and white persuasion but there was one incident at Ibrox that had a neutral Sky Sports pundit pointing out an obvious decision that many have hampered Rangers chances of getting all three points.
Were Rangers hard done to by forgotten John Beaton call?
It wasn’t when Cyriel Dessers had a good goal disallowed due to Tom Lawrence not quite getting enough of the ball 70 yards up the pitch or, when Goldson fell victim to the most hated law in football.
The smoke had barely disappeared from the flares that had been lit before the first whistle when Cameron Carter-Vickers stopped Rangers from taking a quick free-kick.
Yes, it was early doors but, with Celtic 1-0 up, Beaton had an easy decision to make.
Like pulling a player’s shirt when they get away, a yellow card is always the resulting call.
Players know, manager’s know.
And yet, Beaton kept his cards in his pocket, a point that former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock made on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch programme:
“I watched the start of this game and Carter-Vickers was, he kicked a ball away.
“I listened to the commentary and they said they’re reluctant to give a yellow card because of the magnitude of the game and i think ‘it’s the law’.
“And then Carter-Vickers then made another foul , and I’m thinking ‘he should have been sent off’.
“He should be off the pitch already.”
Another incident ignored by the conpsiract theorists
The panel covered every incident in a frantic Old Firm derby and agree that John Beaton got every call right, including the penalties for and against Rangers.
And I agree, but as Warnock says, not being shown a yellow card allows Carter-Vickers to commit another foul when he knew he was safe to take a booking.
Alistair Johnston was another who was lucky after giving away multiple free-kicks.
Dermot Gallagher is right in that the penalty probably wasn’t enough to justify a yellow card but when you add up how many other fouls he had made, then it makes a difference.
This though, is being picky and, for once, we have to praise the man in the middle because, like it or not, he had a good game.
Imagine the uproar from some if he had actually applied the letter of the law though….
