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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Jonny McFarlane

Steven Naismith rages over VAR call as Hearts boss brands shirt pull 'irrelevant'

Steven Naismith has blasted referee John Beaton and VAR Alan Muir for awarding Rangers a penalty late on in Hearts' 2-1 defeat at Ibrox. 

Beaton waved play on after Peter Haring pulled Connor Goldson's shirt in the box as a corner came in but the incident was flagged by the officials in the VAR room.

And once Beaton saw the video monitor he quickly pointed to the spot giving Rangers a way back into the game at 1-0 to the Edinburgh side.

However, Naismith insists there was an infringement before the shirt pull that renders it irrelevant and that a major error was made.

He told the BBC: "The penalty is the defining moment in the game. It's not a penalty. The VAR is here to stop things happening. Throughout the whole game, we highlighted there was clear blocking going on in the box where the players were not interested in the ball. They are looking at our men, blocking our players when I was then told if that happens and they score from it I was then told it would be brought back and given as a foul.

"The penalty they get, the initial contact is made by a player blocking our player which VAR should go and look at. I spoke to the referee after and he said that he wasn't shown any images where there was a block so I don't know whether there's a miscommunication or what the process is but ultimately it's failed us today.

"It's a clear block on our player. It's as simple as that. As the ball comes into the box our player is marking the opposition player he's meant to and a Rangers player comes and blocks him out of the way. What happens next is irrelevant, that's the foul and what gives the Rangers player and edge on our player. Simple as that.

"The outcome of the game is defined by the penalty. It changes everything. We were defending comfortably. The penalty changes the whole dynamic of the whole game. !00 per cent does. Small details happen that ultimately cost us today."

Rangers went on to get a winner through Brazilian striker Danilo.

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