David Martindale airs new Rangers goal frustration as six figure VAR bill comes with one referee wish

The boss in West Lothian has been left miffed by the call against his side.

David Martindale admits he's been left even more frustrated with how Livingston conceded their first goal against Rangers as debate rumbles around Abdallah Sima's effort.

Almondvale defender Jamie Brandon looked to have been pushed by the winger as he raced through on goal to score the first of the home goals in the 4-0 Viaplay Cup win for Michael Beale's hosts. VAR Nick Walsh did not ask match referee Willie Collum to review the incident and it's sparked major debate.

Second-half goals from Sima, Ridvan Yilmaz and Ryan Jack take the Light Blues into a semi-final with Hearts in November but Martindale has been left calling for consistency, amid a similar incident at Ibrox three days prior. Motherwell's Brodie Spencer was bearing down on goal in his side's 1-0 defeat to Rangers and he was penalised in a similar tussle with James Tavernier. Livingston boss Martindale explained: “I am probably a wee bit more frustrated by the decision. It is frustrating. We got a six-figure invoice the other day for VAR. It is a good bit above six figures and you get these decisions – you are hoping that VAR is going to help to make the right decision.

“In those circumstances it would have been beneficial if Willie had been asked to look at the monitor and if the on-field referee watches it and says it is not a foul, you probably take it a wee bit more on the chin. In hindsight, a wee bit frustrated, a wee bit angry at the decision.

“I get it, it is opinions. I know who was in the VAR room. They are all good referees and I know it all comes down to opinions. But for me I would rather the referee on the park gets the opportunity to use the technology and at that point if Willie says he doesn’t think it is a foul then it puts the debate to bed, it curbs any argument I have got.

“It is part of a phase of play that leads to a goal so does it need to be clear and obvious? I don’t think that comes into it. In any phase of play (leading to a goal) if there is an infringement it can lead to a goal being disallowed.

“I genuinely felt Willie was going to blow for a foul and then I thought okay, the technology, the people in the VAR studio will give us the foul. It is all about opinions at that point. I think there is enough force for Jamie to go down, you can clearly see it.

“I was at the (Rangers v Motherwell) game on Sunday and there was one on Tav (Rangers skipper James Tavernier) and I don’t think there was anywhere near the force used in that one but Rangers got the decision. So it’s going back to consistency, because I think there was more of an infringement last night than on Sunday. So I am a wee bit disappointed.”