MICHAEL Beale has claimed that “harsh” refereeing decisions cost Rangers in a 3-2 defeat to Celtic at Parkhead today that killed off the Ibrox club’s slim hopes of winning the cinch Premiership this season.
Beale was incensed that match official Kevin Clancy disallowed a first-half Alfredo Morelos goal for a push on opposition right back Alistair Johnston – and that Kyogo Furuhashi’s second-half strike was allowed to stand after the ball struck Jota’s arm during the build-up.
The Englishman was disappointed that VAR official Nick Walsh had backed up his colleague’s rulings after watching replays of the incidents back at Clydesdale House and argued that the visitors deserved to take at least a point out of the encounter.
“The VAR decisions were harsh on us,” said Beale. “At the first goal, you look at Alfredo’s shirt. It’s twisted round his back. I don’t think their player is trying to play the ball. Only one player is trying to play the ball. There was a lot going on with the two players. So why pick on our player in that moment?
“Then Ben Davies makes a mistake with a clearance up in the air, heads it against Jota and it hits his arm. I know it’s not outside his body, but to not get one of the two is harsh.
“Kevin sees it there and then, so the referee on the pitch has to see what he gives. They are very fussy about that. I asked if it was for a foul on Joe Hart or a foul by Alfredo and they said it was a foul by Alfredo. That’s what I’m disappointed by.
“The guys who are outside in the studio are seeing it and replaying it, and everyone else watching it back. All I would ask is, look at the number on the back of Alfredo’s shirt, who’s pulling who? They’re both holding. One’s trying to play the ball, one I don’t think is trying to play the ball, he’s trying to stop Alfredo.”
Beale added: “If you look again at the chance Alfredo has at the start of the second half where he heads it against Ryan Jack, watch Johnston in the same moment. So, okay, we lose the game but I think it’s a bit of feedback for them because it’s a big decision in the game.
“Two mistakes cost us, but they’re not the only mistakes. We had chances up the other end where we could have been a bit more decisive. But I thought my team played well throughout and probably deserved a bit more from the result.”
Beale felt that the decision not to allow any Rangers fans into Parkhead, which he claimed had been down to a call by Celtic, had led to a diminished atmosphere and appealed for away supporters to be allowed back in to the world-famous fixture.
“That was my 16th derby and I never seen it how it used to be (with the traditional allocation of 7,000 briefs to the visitors),” he said. “So I’ve only seen it this way and two games at Hampden. The atmosphere at Hampden when it is 50-50 is fantastic. It sells the Scottish game so well.
“I’m not the decision-maker, I’m not in and around it. I’m led to believe it was a call from Celtic why there were no away fans between now and the end of the season. That’s what I’m led to believe, from when I asked the question.
“I can’t say I’m happy with it. Even if you get a few fans it is fantastic. The home fans today made a good atmosphere, ours will at Ibrox, but that bit going back-and-forth would be better for the game.
“It is a game that is played six times a season - as of now - and that is something we need to cherish. We all have to protect that environment.
“I thought the two teams put in a really good game. We played against a really top opponent and we looked a good team ourselves. I thought the crowd were up and at other times they were anxious. I think they thought they were in a game today. So I thought my players handled it very well.”
Rangers now trail the defending champions by 12 points in the league table with seven games remaining and have no chance of pipping their city rivals to the Scottish title.
They Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden at the end of this month and Beale insisted the Ibrox club, who defeated their Parkhead rivals at the same stage of the competition last season, can go into the match with confidence.
“Listen, we’ve got work to do,” he said. “We have made an improvement/ I think everyone can see an improved Rangers team in terms of the energy and the commitment.
“We certainly need to recruit for it in the summer. We need to come out of the summer a lot stronger. But I’m a defender of the players I manage. I don’t think the gap’s massive.
“But the reality is we are behind in the league and you would be deemed a fool saying words like that. But that is genuinely what I believe.
“We need to continue to recruit. In the short-term, we have seven league games left. We didn’t deserve to lose today, but we’ve got to get back on and get over this.
“If we cut out one or two mistakes then the semi-final will be really interesting. I think you can see, there were two good football teams today. There are two good football teams in this country, not one.
“And my players have got to keep showing it on the pitch and grab a bit of respect back because there is a bit of disrespect for a team that has lost six league games in 107.
“I would say that the result was in our hands today because we made two massive errors. I didn’t see Celtic making the errors we made, so that’s frustrating. If we can eradicate that, we are on the right road.”
Beale had to bring in John Souttar, who had played less than 45 minutes of competitive football since returning from a seven month injury lay-off last month, for Connor Goldson due to a hip problem his vice-captain has.
He felt the Scotland internationalist, who was guilty of playing a weak passback to his goalkeeper Allan McGregor before the third Celtic goal which Jota netted, had acquitted himself well in difficult circumstances.
“I thought John was outstanding,” he said. “He’s not played all season because of injury. He has come back and had to bide his team. The back four has played really well together under me and before under Gio (Van Bronckhorst). Their record was fantastic.
“We lose Connor with 20 minutes to go of a training session on Friday and John’s then playing. I thought he played really well. I don’t want the focus to be on the misplaced pass. I thought, in the main, to come in and play 90 minutes, John did well. That’s probably the start of his Rangers career.”
Beale added: “Connor has a problem with his hip flexor and will have a scan at the start of the week. He felt it earlier in the week but thought it was fine. He then trained and it just went on him. I was hoping he would be alright to play but it just went on him and it was too sore to play. There was no power in it.”
James Tavernier netted two goals to take his overall tally for Rangers to 100 and Beale praised his skipper afterwards for his contribution to the Ibrox club’s cause during the eight years he has been in Scotland.
“The free-kick was fantastic and is something that he practices,” he said. “He did well to get in at the far post to connect with a really good ball from Borna (Barisic).
“To score 100 goals as a full-back is a fantastic achievement. He won’t be thinking about that now, but when the dust settles he should get the accolades for that. It is outstanding.
“But it is not just the goals, it is the assists as well. Let’s not forget it is a tough thing wearing the armband for one of these two clubs. Certainly when everything is not going in your favour. And to score 100 goals for Rangers is a fantastic personal achievement.”
