Kris Boyd claims penalty to Rangers was missed in VAR check to chalk off Ross McCausland's goal

Boyd, Chris Sutton and James McFadden discussed all the key incidents in a breathless first half at Almondvale.

Ross McCausland saw his first professional goal ruled out for a foul but Kris Boyd reckons it's RANGERS who should have had a penalty late in the first half.

The opening 45 at Livingston was littered with drama with McCausland's late chalk-off coming after a swathe of hotly-debated incidents. Connor Goldson had a goal ruled out for an offside in the buildup before McCausland won Rangers a penalty which James Tavernier missed. Many felt the Ibrox youngster had dived to win the spot-kick and the Sky Sports panel, including Boyd, all agreed he went down too easily.

Chris Sutton who was on punditry duty for the game said: "It's a clear dive. I do not understand how the VAR official isn't talking to the referee. He goes down so early, he's already on his way down McCausland who has had a good first half, he's been a threat but that is a dive and he should be cautioned. That should never have been a penalty and this was probably justice from Livingston's perspective."

And James McFadden added: "It was a dive, I don't know why when it was checked the don't overturn the decision. Tavernier misses, he's normally so good from the spot and that's a bit of justice from Livingston," before Boyd concurred, saying: "He does go down far too easily."

All that came before the big moment that had tongues wagging during the half-time break. That arrived when McCausland followed up on a Cyriel Dessers rebound and appeared to have doubled Rangers' lead, but whistler Steven McLean ruled that Abdallah Sima had fouled Christian Montano in the build-up. His on-field decision was backed up in the VAR room and his initial decision stood without being called over for a pitchside review.

Boyd though feels that Sima's adjudged foul on Montano only came after Luiyi de Lucas had fouled the Rangers winger. He said: "I'm not quite sure why that's been disallowed...if you want to go back for the foul, De Lucas gets a hold of Sima's shirt right there. Sima is absolutely nowhere near Montano at that time - yes he does push him after - but if you want start again it should be a penalty to Rangers. If you think it's a foul, or it should be a goal."

And McFadden reckons the goal should have stood as he said: "I don't think it's a foul and I think the goal should stand. It's a brilliant finish."