Carrick leaves Livi for Airdrieonians

Referees chief Mike Riley believes that the Video Assistant Referee experiment in English football has begun well.

VAR can be used by referees for match-changing decisions relating to the awarding of goals, penalties, red cards and for cases of mistaken identity.

It was used by Martin Atkinson for two Chelsea penalty appeals during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. VAR was also used in Monday’s FA Cup third round tie between Brighton and Crystal Palace.

Riley, general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOB), told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It has gone very well in the first few games. We’ve had the opportunity to use it, it has been used very effectively and we’ve come out with the right outcomes.

“The whole idea of the protocol is to have minimum interference on the game but get the right decisions to have the maximum impact.”

Atkinson consulted VAR official Neil Swarbrick, based at Premier League headquarters in Stockley Park, after a tussle between Calum Chambers and Cesar Azpilicueta at a firsthalf corner and no penalty was awarded.

It was the same outcome when Atkinson went to his headphones to consult Swarbrick two minutes from time after Danny Welbeck beat Cesc Fabregas to the ball and the Chelsea player went down in the penalty area, although that consultation took one minute and 25 seconds.

“That is a little bit longer than we have done in training,” said Riley. “It typically takes the VAR around 30 to 40 seconds to look at something. But we are at the start of the process and it will take time for the VARS to become accustomed to this. The more we do of that the faster we will be at it and the less impact we will have on the game.” Livingston have announced the departure of striker Dale Carrick who has joined League 1 side Airdrieonians.

Livingston manager David Hopkin said: “Dale is a great lad and the ultimate professional, and he goes with all our best wishes. I couldn’t guarantee him the game time he needed and he felt he had to move on.”

Carrick played previously forheartsandkilmarnock.