Two former top class referees have insisted that one wrong decision won’t decide the Premiership title.
The race for the crown is as tight as it has been for over a decade with Celtic just one point ahead of champions Rangers.
It’s going to be a ferocious battle in the 13 remaining fixtures – especially with two more Old Firm clashes to come.
Many Rangers fans and pundits reckon Celtic got lucky at Pittodrie on Wednesday night.
Jota’s controversial winning goal could have been ruled out, either for a Liel Abada offside or Abada obstructing Dons defender David Bates.
Steve Conroy and Des Roache state that the Benifca loanees striker should have been chalked off – but they don’t think it is the defining moment of the season.
Conroy told the Get Involved Referee podcast: “I don’t think the goal at Pittodrie will be decisive in the title race.
“People always bang on about Celtic and Rangers getting more penalties than everybody else – it’s because they attack more than everybody else.
“So in the same vein, it’s much more likely that Celtic and Rangers will get more decisions like the Jota one at Pittodrie because they are attacking more often.
“You don’t win a league or get relegated on one decision – but you would hope they’re aren’t too many tight calls like that one.”
Roache agreed: "One goal ‘offside’ against Aberdeen or an obstruction, that’s not what costs a manager the title or relegation.
“It’s an accumulation of results and other factors over the course of a season.
“It’s going to be more about what players did during the season rather than one refereeing decision.”
The two ex-whistlers were unanimous that Willie Collum should have disallowed the Jota goal.
Conroy said: “I’m glad I wasn’t refereeing that one! I wouldn’t have given offside, but I think it was an obstruction and therefore the goal should have been disallowed.”
Roache agreed. He said: “I don’t think Abada meant to block Bates, but he did so and from that point of view I wouldn’t allow the goal.”
