Hearts head coach Steven Naismith suggests his side were rightly denied a penalty in Saturday’s goalless Scottish Premiership season opener with Rangers.
A cross from Yan Dhanda, the midfielder signed from Ross County, struck the elbow of Rangers’ summer signing, former Aberdeen midfielder Connor Barron, inside the penalty box.
There were loud cries from the Tynecastle stands as the home support urged a VAR review to hand their side a spot kick, but referee Nick Walsh was not called to the monitor.
“I don’t think it’s a penalty, if I’m honest,” Naismith said.
He pointed out that “last season, there was a big debate” about the hand ball rule and that new head of referees Willie Collum had sought to tweak the guidelines for this campaign.
“Willie and the referees and the league have done a lot to clear things up and have a conscious effort to stop you guys asking that question to write about it,” he added.
“People will say it’s unnatural. But, if you’ve played the game, there isn’t much he can do, so I don’t think it’s a penalty.”
Steven Naismith,Scottish Premiership,Yan Dhanda,Connor Barron
