Livingston boss David Martindale hit out at the officials and the failure to use VAR during last night’s 1-1 draw with Dundee United - and claimed the Arabs could have had three red cards.
Kieran Freeman was inexplicably not shown a second yellow card on 30 minutes for dragging down Cristian Montano as the Colombian looked set to charge into the box with the full-back duly subbed moments later.
Meanwhile, a Sadat Anaku challenge on Livi centre-back Luiyi de Lucas and Loick Ayina’s clattering foul of Scott Pittman midway through the second-half only warranted yellow cards with Martindale stunned neither was reviewed.
The Livi gaffer commented: “There was a big moment in the first-half. I’m feeling a bit aggreived if I’m honest because that’s a double yellow card (Freeman). It’s a professional foul and the next touch is leading into the box.
“I thought there was another two big moments - the tackle on Pittman and there was one on de Lucas also. The disappointing thing for me is the ref’s not been given the chance to go and look at the monitor.
“We watch it back in the dugout. We have the technology now and the referee’s not always going to make the correct decision in real time but with the technology you can arrive at a better decision.
“I think both challenges, especially the one on Pittman, I’m astounded the referee wasn’t asked to go and look at the monitor.”
He added: “I had Pittman and Jason Holt sent-off earlier in the season and I honestly didn’t think they were red cards so we appealed them. We lost the appeals and we take it on the chin but the disappointing aspect is that we have VAR to check.
“That’s telling me that VAR is refereeing the game because they’re making that decision in the room when I think they’ve got to allow the referee the benefit to look at the technology.
“That was three big moments that went against us.”
Despite that, Martindale conceded they should have wrapped the game up following a blistering start that saw Steven Bradley rattle the crossbar before opening the scoring on 13 minutes.
However a change of shape from the hosts when Freeman was substituted for Liam Smith changed the momentum with United bagging an equaliser just shy of the hour mark as Aziz Behich slotted the ball beyond Shamal George.
The draw stopped a run of four straight defeats for the Lions but leaves them on the outside looking in at the top-six with five games remaining before the split.
Martindale said: “I think we’ve got to capitalise a bit more in the first-half. I thought for 25 minutes or so in the second-half Dundee United were the better team.
“We lost a bit of our shape and they pressed us higher up the park which we didn’t deal with very well. We made a couple of changes to try and change the dynamics of the game but that never really quite came to fruition if I’m honest.
“It’s two points dropped rather than a point gained. It’s a missed opportunity.”
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