Nick Walsh’s decision to penalise Liam Scales for handball against Hibs has become the latest flashpoint in a season full of contentious refereeing moments in Scotland.
The Celtic defender had shaped his body to head the ball when it struck his arm at close range. Even though there was clearly no intention behind the contact, VAR official Grant Irvine sent Walsh to the monitor — and once that happened, the outcome felt inevitable.
Chris Sutton branded the call “harsh,” while Scales himself admitted he assumed the incident would be checked by VAR. Mark Clattenburg also weighed in on the decision from the Celtic vs Hibs match.
The penalty gave Martin Boyle the chance to pull one back from the spot, setting up a tense finale.
Ultimately, Martin O’Neill’s team held on, cutting the gap at the top of the table to just two points. The decision didn’t change the final result — but it easily could have. And in Clattenburg’s eyes, Scales was helpless in the situation.
He said:
“It’s extremely harsh to award a VAR penalty for Liam Scales’ handball against Hibernian. His arms were in a natural position, and he had no chance to move them as another player attempted to head the ball.”
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