Hibs’ win over Dundee United brought yet more VAR controversy in the Scottish game – and it wasn’t even the only game on the night that could be said about.
The Hibees ended up 3-1 victors at Tannadice as they went level on points with their opponents and jumped ahead of them on goal difference.
It could have been so different though with the Tangerines thinking they had taken a 2-1 lead through Sam Dalby. After a long wait for a VAR check, the goal was chalked off and confusion reigned as to the actual reason for that.
It became clear that it was for an apparent handball but the camera angles available don’t appear to prove that beyond doubt.
Visiting boss David Gray gave his take on it after benefiting – insisting it was the correct call “by the letter of the law.”
But Jim Goodwin has a very different view.
Goodwin says Dundee United denied ‘perfectly good goal’
The Irishman felt his side were denied a “perfectly good goal” which could have seen them go on to win the game. Instead they are empty-handed.
And after watching it back, he simply cannot see the infringement.
Goodwin said post-match: “I need to be really careful with my choice of words, based on some of the big decisions that have went against us in such an important and significant game.
“There was so much at stake for both clubs. If we’d drawn the game it wouldn’t have been a disaster. It would have kept the gap between us and Hibs to three points. The second half we played for large spells in Hibs territory. We were pushing for a winner and we thought we’d scored a perfectly good goal.
“It takes three and a half, four minutes for the guys in the VAR studio to come to the decision that Sam Dalby has headed the ball onto his hand. From all the angles that I’ve seen with my analyst and from the broadcast angles, I can’t see it for the life of me.
“It’s just not clear, decisive and obvious. That’s a big decision that’s gone against us.
Goodwin also thought United should’ve had a corner in the lead up to one of the Hibs goals, adding: “And prior to the Hibs goals, we should have had a corner. I’m 70 yards away from it and I can tell from the trajectory of the ball that Lewis Fiorini has kicked it off the Hibs player.
“How the officials can’t give the decision to give us a set play and it leads to their goal. Of course, you can look at how we defend it. It’s a great goal from the young lad Bowie but we should have had a corner. That’s the crux of it.”
Luca Stephenson injury blamed on VAR
Liverpool loanee Luca Stephenson had to be subbed off late on and his manager says that was down to stiffening up while standing around waiting on VAR decisions.
He added: “There’s so many big decisions against us and so much time standing around waiting on decisions from VAR.
“Luca Stephenson has actually had to come off because he’s standing around for 4 minutes and felt he’d stiffened up. Something that’s clear and obvious can’t take four minutes to clear up. For me that’s the difficulty we have in accepting that tonight.”
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 3 |  AberdeenAberdeen | 28 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 36 | 44 | -8 | 41 |
| 4 |  HibernianHibernian | 28 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 42 | 39 | 3 | 40 |
| 5 |  Dundee UtdDundee Utd | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 40 |
| 6 |  Heart Of MidlothianHeart Of Midlothian | 28 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 40 | 38 | 2 | 36 |
| 7 |  St MirrenSt Mirren | 28 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 33 | 42 | -9 | 34 |