Glasgow Rangers’ recent misfortune with referees continued on Sunday in the hard-fought 1-0 win over Livingston.
John Guthrie made an extremely dangerous, two-footed lunge on Gers centre-half Connor Goldson.
Did referee Euan Anderson consider that Guthrie’s over-the-top challenge may have deserved an immediate red card, instead of the yellow he handed out?
The Rangers coaching staff and fans felt aggrieved that the Glasgow giants did not end up playing against 10 men from the 43rd minute.
It’s a disgrace that the linesman, who was less than two yards away from the incident, didn’t seem to be interested in contributing to the decision.
The referee decided it was only a yellow card when everybody in the stadium knew it was a straight red card tackle.
It was another massive mistake that Rangers suffer from because the referee failed to apply the correct laws of the game.
If Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos had committed the exact same foul he would surely have immediately be shown a red card.
It was a completely shocking late lunge that could have easily have broken Goldson’s ankle.
I have no doubt the referee would immediately know when watching the highlights on TV that he made a monumental mistake, but as usual, it’s all too late.
Anderson would also be alarmed that his assistant referee got the disallowed Morelos goal wrong. The replays clearly showed it should have been 2-0 to Rangers.
In spite of these two appalling officials decisions, Rangers still earned the three points by winning 1-0 against a decent Gary Holt’s Livingston.
Hopefully Goldson will be fit to play against Portugal’s Braga on Thursday night at Ibrox in the last 32 of the Europa League tie.
