ALISTAIR JOHNSTON is adamant referee Kevin Clancy made the right call when he disallowed an Alfredo Morelos effort in Celtic’s 3-2 win at Parkhead yesterday.
The game was still goalless following an offside ruling against Kyogo Furuhashi in only five minutes after the Japanese striker had raced onto a neat pass from the Canada World Cup right-back before tucking the ball under keeper Allan McGregor.
The standside official flagged to signify the Hoops frontman had strayed in front of the visitors’ defence, but there wasn’t much air between Kyogo and left-back Borna Barisic.
PUSH OFF…Alistair Johnston is sent spinning by Alfredo Morelos.
OFF BALANCE…Alistair Johnston is pushed forward by the Colombian.
CRASH LANDING…Alistair Johnston hits the deck as Alfredo Morelos’s effort is deflected into the net.
The champions didn’t create a fuss and got on with the game – unlike their opponents who caused a furore when the match official disallowed the Colombian’s effort following an obvious push in the back of Johnston.
The Govan hierarchy now plan to write to the SFA demanding an explanation for the decision – a move scoffed at by former Hoops striker Chris Sutton, as CQN reported earlier.
Johnston, speaking to Sky Sports, expained: “I felt like I had a free header and all of a sudden I didn’t because I had two hands on the back of my back.
“So, it’s one of those ones I knew as soon as it went in the back of the net that he [the referee]was going to call it and, thankfully, that’s what the ref’s there for and he did a good job, I thought, today.
“It wasn’t as easy one with a lot of big tackles as you would expect in that match and so I thought he did a good job.
“And I’m glad he made the right call there.”
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