Referee backed over Celtic penalty reversal
Dougie McDonald has been backed by the Scottish Football Association's head of referee development Hugh Dallas after reversing his decision to award a penalty to Celtic in their match with Dundee United
on Sunday, 17 October.
McDonald had pointed to the spot, ruling that United keeper Dusan Pernis had fouled Gary Hooper as the Celtic striker was through on goal. However, after consulting with his assistant, McDonald overturned
his decision and instead awarded a drop ball inside the area.
The move angered both teams’ managers with Hooper's boss Neil Lennon protesting to the fourth official and United manager Peter Houston claiming after the game that McDonald had awarded the penalty too
hastily.
However, Dallas has defended the whistler, claiming that the fact the correct decision was reached was the most important outcome.
'Referee has right to change his mind'
He told the BBC that: "I think the main thing is that the final decision that was taken was correct. And the referee is well within his rights to change his mind as long as he has not restarted play."
Dallas added that the linesman’s line of sight was much clearer than McDonald’s for the incident and was crucial in having the decision changed, while television replays proved that the decision to revoke
the penalty was correct.
"Dougie, after having given the decision, then received information from the assistant referee that the goalkeeper had played the ball from the better position that the assistant referee was in. There
is a really good replay of the incident from the offside line camera, which clearly shows the ball changing direction — and that was something that Dougie did not enjoy at the time.”
"So the decision was overturned and it's not the first time that has happened this season. It's already happened down at Kilmarnock, where the assistant referee and fourth official overturned a penalty
decision. We criticise match officials when they get things wrong and here we are criticising them when they get things right."
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