Both managers should have been reflecting on what was an enthralling game of football that Hearts edged in a 3-2 win, despite playing for nearly 60 minutes with 10 men.
In home manager Robbie Neilson’s case, his elation over the victory against Motherwell was tempered by his grievance that his team were the victims of VAR ‘discrepancies’.
Neilson’s main concerns centred on the sending off of Jorge Grant seven minutes before the break for a tackle on Callum Slattery and the award of a Motherwell penalty when Hearts captain Craig Gordon was penalised for bringing down Louis Moult.
Match referee Kevin Clancy was not asked to review either incident by VAR official David Munro.
Despite this, Hearts demonstrated their fighting spirit to come out with all the spoils – a win that lifts Neilson’s team up to fourth in the Premiership with two matches to go before the break.
Andy Halliday scored twice either side of the break with a header and fine strike before Motherwell set up a tense finish.
Moult converted following the contentious penalty award on the hour mark and the away team followed that up with an equaliser 11 minutes from time, Blair Spittal bundling home a Stuart McKinstry cross.
Lawrence Shankland’s 90th-minute penalty was the decisive goal in a captivating contest.
“I can talk all day about it, it’s just more discrepancies with VAR,” said Neilson, when asked about Grant’s red card.
“Having seen it, and even at the time, I didn’t think it was a red card. Kevin’s thoughts at the time was that he was high and out of control and reckless.
“When you look at it, he’s definitely not high because he is on the ground, his studs are down. There is going to be some kind of velocity when you make a tackle, that’s part of football.
“My belief is we’ve got VAR there for a reason and I think there was an opportunity to look at it again and I think if he sees it he changes his mind.”
Neilson was just as bewildered as to why Clancy was not at least advised to review his decision to award Motherwell a penalty.
He added: “Looking at the penalty with Craig Gordon, when you look at the real details of it, when the player plays the ball, yes they come together, but the spin of the ball changes so Craig gets a touch on the ball, hence he makes the save.
“But the people watching VAR don’t understand that, you have to look at the ball not just the player and the goalkeeper.”
Motherwell manager Steven Hammell was also less than enthused about the use of the refereeing aid, believing his team could have been awarded a second penalty at 2-2 for a Toby Sibbick handball.
Hammell said: “Last week we were told any shot going towards the goal that gets blocked by the arm is a penalty.
“We asked the question and the feedback we got was that a shot towards the goal blocked by your arm or hand is a penalty.
“We feel that one has gone against us.
“There is a little bit of confusion. In terms of what VAR does to the game, I feel it takes away from the spectators and coaching point of view. It takes a lot away from the game in my opinion.”
Motherwell now sit ninth in the table, just four points above the relegation zone with two games to go before the World Cup shutdown.
