Andy Halliday baffled as Aberdeen 'scissor motion' dodges red card to leave Motherwell star fuming at VAR

The midfielder insisted he was lucky because he was caught with a scissor movement which could have been a sore one if leg planted

Andy Halliday has insisted Pape Gueye’s challenge on him would have been a red card 30 years ago and can’t believe VAR didn’t intervene at Pittodrie.

Gueye was frustrated after not getting an earlier foul and went flying into a first half challenge on the Motherwell midfielder which only earned him a yellow card.

Halliday has insisted he was lucky because the Aberdeen man caught him with a scissor movement and if his leg had been planted then he would have suffered a sore one.

Halliday said: “For me, that tackle was a red card 30 years ago, never mind just now. I don't put too much blame on the referee.

“He's obviously seen something that maybe wasn't there, but for me VAR's there to help Ross (Hardie) and help the officials today and somehow they've not managed to do that.

“It was a scissor motion just below the knee. I've not seen it back. I’m not going to talk about certain professionals in the game but I think if my leg's planted it could be a nasty one for me.

“I think I'm lucky that after I play the pass my leg's already in an upwards motion and it's not planted on the ground.”

Referee Ross Hardie was adamant that I wasn’t a red card. Halliday added: “I asked the referee what he felt he saw.

“He said that Pape Gueye caught me in the foot. So again, you're talking about a clear and obvious error.

“His information to VAR wasn't actually what happened. So you’re then expecting VAR to step in and help him out, but they haven’t managed to do that.

“Yes, well listen, if Ross says that the contact's below the knee but he doesn't feel there's a lot of force or he doesn't feel it's with the studs or whatever then maybe there's an argument that VAR can't step in because you've kind of seen it near enough correctly, it's not a clear and obvious error.

“The fact that he thinks he's caught on the foot and then you watch it back and he's eight inches, ten inches higher on the foot then again, it obviously falls into that bracket, a clear and obvious error.”

Halliday admitted Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer read the riot act to his team after they gave up at 3-1.

He admitted: “Yes, to be fair though, I don't really think us as players have given them the chance to react poorly because I think even in spells against us, we've maybe not played well over the three games.

“I think a compact shape, following instruction and working hard has been there for everyone to see. I thought the last 15 minutes we were a bit too desperate, a bit too forceful. Again, when that happens and you're playing against good teams, there's going to be gaps where they can punish you.”

Motherwell are still in the top six fight. Halliday reckons it is now up for the Steelmen to show their mettle.

He acknowledged: “All credit to Aberdeen, I thought they played well today, I thought they deserved the win, but there's still two big games from now to the split and hopefully we'll start next week against a tough Kilmarnock side.”