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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Ewan Paton

Chris Sutton accuses Connor Goldson of 'dive' to win Rangers penalty

Chris Sutton has accused Rangers defender Connor Goldson of diving to win a penalty against Aberdeen.

The Gers centre-back hit the deck after his shirt was clearly pulled by Dons defender Gartenmann inside the area as stoppage time loomed at Pittodrie.

Nick Walsh didn't award the spot kick upon first time viewing, however, after he consulted with VAR, the referee reviewed the incident at the pitchside monitor. After several checks, he eventually pointed to the spot, as James Tavernier stepped up to score and rescue a point for Philippe Clement's team.

Barry Robson was left furious by the decision, questioning why everything needs to be looked at within a game by VAR.

But former Rangers striker Kris Boyd insists the officials were correct with their final decision.

Kris Boyd said on Sky Sports: "I think there's been worse performances and they've left with three points. I think Rangers played well, especially in the second half. Credit to Aberdeen for the first half, I thought they were excellent. 

"But second half it was Rangers pushing and it took until the last kick of the ball to get that penalty. It is a penalty kick, we can debate it all day long, in this day and age you can't get involved, you run the risk of pulling shirts. 

"It's the exact same as they one against Hearts. I know they were aggrieved about it as well, and Barry Robson will be the exact same, but it's just lazy defending in the end. You can't pull someone's shirt, Chris. Simple."

Post-match, it was here that Sutton suggested that Goldson went down too easily.

He argued: "I would agree with Kris on that. But he doesn't half make a meal of it. He dives. 

"He (Nick Walsh) didn't give it. He's standing there, he's watching the incident, he doesn't give it. Is that a clear and obvious error?

"He pulls his shirt but there has to be sufficient contact. He went down too easily, it's a dive."

Joe Lewis said: "He goes down after he's let go of his shirt. I think it's very harsh. You see the still image of him holding on his shirt, it's hard to argue, but he goes down after that.

"Defenders have got to be cleverer than that, you know in the 94th minute you can't be pulling shirts inside the box.

"But if you're having to look at a still image over and over again, is it a clear and obvious error?"

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