Former EPL ref claims 3 of 4 Rangers penalty decisions were correct

Andrew Dallas has been backed by former English Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher.

The whistler has come in for criticism after awarding Rangers four penalties, three of which were scored in the Ibrox side’s 4-0 victory over St Mirren on Saturday.

St Mirren manager Oran Kearney believes that only the first penalty should have been given, an opinion backed up by the pundits on BBC Scotland’s Sportscene highlights show.

Gallagher agrees that was a penalty, saying it’s a “foul for me”, though he differs on two of the other calls.

The third penalty saw Greg Tansey penalised for handball with many observers believing contact took place outside the box. Gallagher disagrees.

He said: “Great call by the assistant because it’s all about where the assistant is. I think it is a handball because he’s put his arms up.

“He’s definitely caught the ball, he’s definitely stopped it and it’s on the line so it’s part of the penalty area. Penalty.

St Mirren players appeal to referee Andrew Dallas after Rangers are awarded their second penalty of the afternoon. Picture: SNS

“I just think he’s had enough time where he has put his arms.”

On the fourth penalty: “I don’t know why the player does this. He’s just pulled him back it’s quite clear.

“He’s allowed to carry on and it’s definitely inside when he finishes. It’s a penalty.”

Gallagher didn’t believe that Rangers’ second penalty, won by Jermain Defoe who went down under the attentions of Paul McGinn, was the correct call.

He said: “I wasn’t sure he caught him. Out of the four penalties, I think this is the only one I wasn’t sure about.”