“IT’S a conspiracy,” they all cried but who for?
The Hotline was in agreement the officiating at Ibrox on Tuesday night wasn’t up to scratch.
But where consensus disappeared was on the matter of whether it was Aberdeen or Rangers who got the smellier end of the stick from referee Don Robertson and his colleagues in the VAR hut.
Bill Waugh, glasgow, said: “Once again another penalty box incident involving Rangers’ third keeper.
“Does Connor Goldson actually have to come out and catch a cross before a spot-kick is given?”
Helen Mclean, inverness, emailed: “That’s now two games in a row where we’ve seen matchchanging decisions totally ignored by VAR officials in Rangers’ favour.
“The whole Willie Collum flare-up was used by Rangers to deflect away from the laughable statistics that go their way. Normal service has now been resumed and we are in for trouble this season.”
Henry Moffat, Stirling, said: “We need foreign officials right now!”
But Rangers fans weren’t any happier with refs after seeing Robertson stand by his decision to dismiss Dujon Sterling despite being sent for a second look at the midfielder’s tackle on Jack MacKenzie.
Scott gowers, edinburgh, said: “Anyone thinking VAR should have given a penalty against Rangers must look at Aberdeen’s goal and the sending-off.
“Normally VAR gets involved if there is a shirt pull in the box by a defender – why, in that case, is a goal allowed to stand when Bojan Miovski is clearly holding Goldson’s shirt?
“The sending-off was a slip, which was not high or dangerous, yet Duk stays on the park after catching
Goldson. Whether his booking should have been red or not, he committed another bookable offence.
“There was another challenge after the sending-off that caught the top of the foot yet Robertson and VAR have one rule for one and another for another.”
chris lowe, yoker, said: “Yet another shocking performance from Robertson when it comes to officiating Rangers. He’s already robbed us in an Old Firm game this season.”
Neil Warnock was hoping to start his Aberdeen reign with a win in Govan but saw his side’s chances wiped out by two Kelle Roos howlers.
Robert Mcewan, Mount Vernon, said: “Surprise, surprise... another keeper gets man of the match against Celtic but then goes to Ibrox and lets in two shockers. So much for no tryin’ against Celtic.”
Robert livingstone, Palm Beach, said: “Rangers started like a whirlwind but, once again, chances were missed. They’re fortunate those misses didn’t prove more costly.
“It’s the same old story – we need a decent No.9 but Cyriel Dessers certainly isn’t one. Aberdeen’s Miovski is and showed his quality with sheer strength as he outmuscled Goldson to score.”
Along the M8, Hibs fan Neil Renton, leith, is not a happy man after club accounts for the year up to June 30, 2023 were issued this week.
Directors’ remuneration was shown to have risen 23 per cent within a set of figures that featured a loss of £3.9million for the 12 months.
He said: “As a club, we’ve not progressed but instead gone backwards. Maybe they’ll buy some Brasso with the extra cash.
“Let’s face it, they won’t need it for cups the club have recently won but they could use it on their brass necks.”