VAR sets out stall for season climax

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Having already overruled erroneous officials on two occasions, yesterday’s Video Assistant Referee could bear no more and declined to confirm the ball struck Joe Newell’s arm before he scored for Hibernian.

Bad though that decision was, it was nothing on the second half incident when a penalty was not awarded to Celtic.  Josh Campbell, who was already on a yellow card, shoved Benjamin Nygren off the field with both hands inside the box.  It was a stonewall penalty and a similar incident to the foul given against Sebastian Tounekti which led to the Hibs equaliser.  Campbell should have received a second yellow, reducing Hibs to 9 men for the second week running.

The VAR team was not prepared to go there.  They could do nothing about Celtic’s onside goal.  Jamie McGrath’s studs to the shin of Alistair Johnston was equally undeniable.  A line was drawn, Celtic were getting no more.

This is how it is going to be between now and the end of the league campaign.  I predict Celtic will get a soft penalty in the Scottish Cup Final, “proof” that these things even themselves out.  In the league, anything that can be overlooked will be overlooked.  You know decisions against Celtic are laughable when even Kris Boyd confirms it.

Celtic dominated the encounter even before the 21st minute red card, but failed to test stand-in keeper Jordan Smith often enough.  The return to the starting line-up of Alistair Johnston brought the equaliser. The fullback timed his run and cross perfectly, leaving Daizen Maeda the simplest of tap-ins.

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From then until late in the second half, Celtic fans were thinking, “When’s he going to bring on Kelechi?”  Our 29-year-old striker is by the length of the M8 between Edinburgh and Glasgow the most talented player in Scotland, who looks like he is playing against schoolboys.  Getting the best out of him over the next three games will determine the outcome of the league.

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351 Comments

  1. Ray Singh-Carr on

    Canny see how Hertz are getting back into this playing like they are. They have been pretty poor so far.

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  3. Hearts not exactly being pummelled but huns well on top. Won’t be a surprise if they score again before half time

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  5. After Motherwell beat the hins, there were loads of the FF posters predicting they would beat Hearts and, by doing so, hand the title to us.

  6. I never realized before how hard it is to root against both teams in the same game.

  7. Hearts have been awful. No game plan. Can’t pass. Not physical enough. Can’t win a second ball. Hearts look terrified of Moore. Chermiti getting an easy ride off the two lumps at the back.

     

    Huns very comfortable.

     

    No sign of the frothing at the mouth we normally encounter there. Hearts on the ropes.

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  9. Ray Singh-Carr on

    To be honest, if we can’t beat both of these teams at home we probably don’t deserve to be Champions.

  10. the long wait is over on

    RAY SINGH-CARR on 4TH MAY 2026 6:17 PM

     

     

    Agree 100%, especially as we play both at home.

  11. THE LONG WAIT IS OVER on 4TH MAY 2026 6:19 PM

     

    To be honest, if we can’t beat both of these teams at home we probably don’t deserve to be Champions.

     

    RAY SINGH-CARR on 4TH MAY 2026 6:17 PM

     

    Agree 100%, especially as we play both at home.

     

     

    Simples 👍👍👍👍👍

  12. Rangers in control at Swinecastle. hearts look like a very nervy team, lacking in quality.

     

     

    Mcinness playing with 2 wingers against a 4 4 2 is crazy . I would think he wil go like for like in 2nd half, hopefully make more of a game of it.

     

     

    1-1 would be perfect for us

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  14. If they are going to win this,which at HT looks likely,Hearts terrible,another couple of goals would suit us.Goal average down to one.Or a 1-1 draw if they don’t.Must have all been pissed last night at the awards.Shocking display.Nothing on target.One attempt.

  15. PeterLatchfordsBelly on

    Huns cruising it in 2nd gear so far as Hertz bow down to their big bros. But… that can and hopefully will change in the 2nd half.

  16. lionroars67 on

    Jambos MOTY out manoeuvred by Sausage Rohl

     

     

    R2ngers deserve to be in front, they have outplayed, outfought, the Jambos

     

     

    3 at the back for R2ngers look comfortable, movement good, Beaton looking after Raskin

     

     

    Big 2nd half for the Jambos and their MOTY

  17. Result suits us @ the mo

     

    Hearts obviously didn’t watch Motherwell at Ayebrokes

     

    But surely the Jambos have more to offer than they have showed so far

     

    Thinking back to our SPL game @ Ayebrokes 2-0 down, Martin changes it @ h/t finishes 2-2 in a second half where we could have won (Luke?) the game. McInnes needs to change things up, in the midfield from what I can see, and play through the blue hordes & create a chance or two. Still settle for the draw….

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  19. Ray – agreed. We could and should beat them but who knows. By the same token, if the Huns win today and beat us at CP then they will deserve it especially after being so far behind.

     

    The Nancy experiment was such a massive and costly mistake. Likewise the H2ns sticking with Martin while they were looking like relegation candidates.

     

    Hearts benefitted big time by all of this without being a particularly good team.

     

     

    I would take the current score or a draw. Worst result for our title chances is a Hearts win.

  20. Ray Singh-Carr on 4th May 2026 6:17 pm

     

    To be honest, if we can’t beat both of these teams at home we probably don’t deserve to be Champions.

     

    __________________________________

     

     

    Absolutely. If we can’t beat both of these teams at least once each in 8 combined (SPL) attempts across the whole season, then we definitely don’t deserve to be Champions (again).

  21. Huns very solid at the back and completely dependent on set plays up front.

     

     

    Hearts being absolutely pish may explain why a recently porous Huns defence looks good tonight.

     

     

    I’ll take this result. A win on Sunday and we’d have one hand on the league trophy.

  22. The title stays in Glasgow. We better get our tactics right on Sunday. Lose the midfield battle and this will happen to us.

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  24. THE BADA BING on 4TH MAY 2026 6:25 PM

     

    Hearts kick fk out of us,check out the difference here

     

     

    ——

     

    In a nutshell.

  25. BigChipsUK on 4th May 2026 6:27 pm

     

    Three more rangers goals without reply and we go top of the league tonight. 🔝👍

     

    ____

     

    Yep. if they huns are going to win, then it’s best that they score a few. Hearts could also lose away to Motherwell at the weekend, which would mean we could afford a draw v the Huns.

  26. Think we need Hearts to take a point. Not sure we can win all our games. I think Huns will win last 2 games.

     

    The momentum they gain from a win makes them dangerous.

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  28. McInnes is being shown up as a woefull manager.

     

    Hearts came out full of fire, when that didn’t work, they totally lost their shape and plan ( whatever that was).

     

    Never saw a team panic so much in their own box. Kicking the ball anywhere.

     

    That said, huns ahead by a flukey deflection/crazy hop of the ball.

     

    If McInnes cant change the system, its us or the huns next Sunday.

  29. An Tearmann on

    St.Stivs

     

     

    We have the tech,not the neutrality i think @BSR

     

    observation,shrewd Celt :-))

     

     

    HH

  30. Whatever results tonight will be of some benefit to us. Whatever that result is, we’ll look for the positives from it. Has the invisible CEO spoken about the shocking performances from the officials yesterday 🤔