Livingston attacker Joel Nouble says Hearts' equaliser shouldn't have stood - because even Alan Forrest said he'd handled the ball in the lead up to Josh Ginnelly's late leveller.
That was just one VAR flashpoint in the 1-1 draw at Tynecastle with the 27-year-old also saying it’s the height of nonsense that he’s consistently denied free-kicks due to his size.
Jambos defender Kyle Rowles saw red for a tug on Nouble’s shirt while Hearts gaffer Robbie Neilson insisted the fact the Livi man got the shot away means it was the wrong call.
The Lions’ Sean Kelly subsequently missed the penalty and were denied a win as Ginnelly fired home an injury-time leveller. Stephen Kelly had earlier put the away side in front.
Nouble said: “If I was a shorter player, they wouldn’t say that. People say ‘he’s a big player, he’s got to deal with it’.
“So if a player goes over the top of me I don’t get it. But if it’s a shorter player, it’s a foul all day. I felt the pull, but I get pulled all the time so, for me, it’s normal.
“I was more annoyed about not scoring. It’s a great save from (Craig)Gordon, to be fair, but that’s what I was more annoyed about. But it’s a goalscoring opportunity. If it’s a goalscoring opportunity it’s a red all day.”
There was more VAR controversy in the build-up to the equaliser with Nouble insisting even Forrest admitted he handled the ball. Before that, the attacker was bundled off the ball as he raced into the penalty box.
He commented: “I asked the ref and he said he didn’t think there was enough contact for a foul. That’s his opinion and I won’t doubt it.
“They were checking for a handball at first and even the Hearts player said it was a handball. So, we’re like ‘if even they’re saying it’s a handball..’
“The ref said to the linesman ‘if I get it wrong I’ll take the blame.’ So he knows it’s a handball but he thinks it’s not intentional. No one intentionally handles it… but that’s VAR. Hearts are buzzing about it, we’re not. That’s football.”
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