‘He gets kicked’: Hibs left puzzled by non-VAR intervention for key Rangers goal

Hibs manager Nick Montgomery claimed VAR should have intervened over the build up to Rangers’ second goal on the stroke of the interval in his side’s 4-0 defeat at Ibrox.

Montgomery did not attempt to suggest the outcome - a first defeat in his six-game tenure - revolved around this moment on an afternoon where his team’s expansive approach seemed to play into the hands of hosts stirred by playing under new manager Philippe Clement for the first time. But he was convinced a Sam Lammers’ challenge on Joe Newell that led to Nicolas Raskin sweeping in from 25 yards in the 45th minute did not help their cause.

“My view at the time is it was a foul on Joe Newell,” said Montgomery. “That’s my opinion and I’ve watched it back on the video – he gets kicked from behind, into his Achilles’ before the ball is touched. I genuinely thought VAR would have called that back – but it wasn’t to be.

“[The first goal in 17 minutes was] a disappointing goal to concede. And then they start a bit of momentum, the fans are buoyed by a new coach coming in …The second half was difficult, a couple of sloppy turnovers, the pressure was off them and they’ve got quality players. If you don’t defend properly at the edge of the box, you know they’ll be clinical. They were more clinical than us in the final third today. We lacked a bit of creativity, didn’t generate many chances.

“Look, you come here and they’ve got top fans who create a great atmosphere. But they wanted change. The new manager comes in and, like myself, you’re not going to change everything overnight. But the players were always going to be a bit more energetic today.

“I genuinely thought we quietened them down at the start, played some good stuff, but the first goal is really important. And I thought we gave that goal away, going against everything we’ve been doing. It’s just a long ball forward from David Marshall, we didn’t win the first ball, didn’t win the second ball and it’s a transition moment, we’re sprinting back towards our own goal – and it’s a good finish.

“After that it takes a bit of pressure off them, they get into the game a bit more. The second goal really did come at a time when we could have got back in the game. At 2-0 down, you have to come out and try to play. If you just sit back, you’re not going to score a goal. But we weren’t great in the final third. And a couple of sloppy mistakes at the back against clinical players cost us. That was the disappointing thing for me.”