James Forrest sees Celtic penalty snub split the pundits as Hibs flashpoint ‘interpretation’ flagged amid VAR back up

Brendan Rodgers' side would cruise into the quarter-final of the Premier Sports Cup with a 3-1 win

The decision to turn down James Forrest's appeal for a Celtic penalty during the Premier Sports Cup win over Hibs has split the pundits.

The visitors had only just pulled a goal back through Mykola Kukharevych to give themselves a foothold in the game and make it 2-1 when appeals went up from the Celtic players and fans at Parkhead. A long ball was launched forward by Liam Scales, allowing winger Forrest to burst down the left flank of the Hibs box. The Scotland international was swarmed by Joe Newell and Marvin Ekpiteta, with the defender eventually getting a leg in to punt the danger clear as Forrest tumbled to the deck.

Referee Kevin Clancy initially pointed to a corner before Andrew Dallas in the VAR room backed up the man in the middle. In the end, a costly error from the visiting defence would gift Nicolas Kuhn a third for the Hoops' and put the game out of reach. But questions were still asked about the decision to snub the spot-kick.

Former Hoops' star Pat Bonner was left baffled by the decision 0 insisting Ekpiteta had bundled over the attacker. He told BBC Scotland: “I thought there was an arm on the shoulder as he was put through. That is just my interpretation of it."

But Michael Stewart saw the call completely different. As he watched the replay on commentary as part of the Premier Sports team, he insisted Clancy and VAR Dallas had got it right.

He said: “I think the referee has got that correct. I think Ekpiteta does welt get himself in and it’s not a foul, to then boot the ball away It’s the right call.”