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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Ben Banks

Steven McClean prompts Celtic penalty fury as pundit tells the ref he doesn’t know what he is doing

Richard Taylor has been given a reprieve of his red card offence by the Sportscene panel after Celtic romped to a 5-1 win over St Mirren.

It was a tight affair in Glasgow but Daizen Maeda's goal had put Ange Postecoglou's Scottish Premiership champions ahead in the Scottish Cup fifth-round match. It took until the 76th minute for the next goal to come from the penalty spot and Reo Hatate, but debate has arisen over how that spot-kick was awarded after a VAR check.

Liel Abada's shot looked goalbound but it came up and hit St Mirren defender Taylor on the hand, referee Steven McClean then showing red to the new Paisley signing. Celtic hero Simon Donnelly thought it was harsh but said: "By the letter of the law, it is a penalty and I have seen these given. I just don't think the lad means it and that's when the red card comes about.

"It's going in from Abada, I think. But I don't think he means it, he goes to block, then there's the usual three or four minutes from VAR to decide it.

Fellow pundit Bartley was stronger in his assessment, the Queen of the South manager reckoning Taylor was unfortunate to see red, and that McClean got it all wrong. He said: "It's unintentional. This is the problem.

"The people making the laws haven't played the game. Yes, it's hits his hand, it's slightly behind him, but there's no way you can tell me that is intentional and the fact he gets a red card is insult to injury. That isn't acceptable. That is not a red card any day of the week."

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