Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Pirie

Michael Smith Celtic handball penalty snub splits the pundits as Hearts star receives 'natural position' VAR defence

Confident Michael Stewart insists Hearts defender Michael Smith should not have been punished for a handball in the box against Celtic.

Winger James Forrest attempted to cut in on the left-hand side, with a lobbed effort looking making contract with Hearts defender Michael Smith's hand. Ange Postecoglou was left in disbelief when referee Nick Walsh waved away the penalty claim without allowing the whistler a VAR review of the incident as the new system took centre stage at Tynecastle.

Celtic fans and pundits have been critical of the decision in the capital with Steven McLean deciding the incident did not need further review from the VAR room. The call sparked a heated debate between the Sportscene pundits, but Stewart insists the man in the middle got the call right on the pitch.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.