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Daily Record
Sport
Liam Bryce

What the Hibs and Hearts pundits said as bewildered Kris Boyd launches scathing penalty rant

Controversy once again reigned in the Scottish Premiership as the Edinburgh Derby threw up incidents galore.

Hibs and Hearts may have played out a goalless draw, but there was nothing low key about their Tuesday night clash at Easter Road.

Jambos boss Robbie Neilson insisted his side were denied two clear penalties by referee Don Robertson.

A first for Lewis Stevenson challenging Ellis Simms in the box and a second a perceived missed handball incident from an indirect Hearts free-kick.

But if Neilson was forthright in his verdict, it paled in comparison to opinions in the Sky Sports studio.

Host Eilidh Barbour was joined by Jack Ross, Neil McCann and Kris Boyd, with the latter astonished that Hearts were not awarded two spot-kicks.

Here's a selection of the punditry reaction.

Jack Ross

"There are two aspects as a manager.

"One, the emotions you go through in a game, your emotions run high after.

"Second, the consequences of the decisions, depending on where you're at, what kind of run you're on, how close you are to losing your job, etc.

"People say that's dramatic when you say it, but it's the truth.

"The introduction of VAR, what it does is accept the decision-making process.

"There are elements which are still subjective, however it will get things right more often than not."

Neil McCann

"No question, Hearts should've had two penalties. The first one, I look at Don Robertson's position, I still think he sees that.

"He's maybe looking by Porteous but it's as big a barge as you're going to get.

"Lewis Stevenson's been fired out of a cannon! He's smashed into him and cleaned him out.

(SNS Group)

"I can't, for the life of me, figure out why it's not been given.

"(On the free-kick incident) Don Robertson should see that, Robbie's right. Don Robertson has an unrestricted view of that one.

"The only thing he needs to concentrate on, because he knows there's going to be a rush - by the way there's bravery from several Hibs players - but he has got a clear that that is a handball, no question.

"Two massive decisions. You can maybe cut him a bit of slack with the first one with his position, but not the second one."

Kris Boyd

"People will come on say: 'Oh you're moaning for VAR again'.

"But at the end of the day, when you look at it, every other league has got it. We've got a great product here, we've got great players - everything that we need here and we're still lagging behind..

"There are leagues that are nowhere near the standard of ours, without even the finances we have here, but they find a way to get it in.

"We need to find a way to get in. These are big, big decisions.

"If Don Robertson goes and looks at that...

"The one for me is the first one. It's as if he expects Hibs to clear it, then he reacts and he's a little bit off the pace.

"I cannot BELIEVE, for the life of me, he has not given a penalty kick.

"It's into the back of Simms, not even into the side and he wipes him clean out. That is a stonewall penalty and a yellow card, you're off the field.

"Wow, Scottish football, eh? We need VAR. Rant over."

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