Rangers defender Connor Goldson 'Teflon-coated' as handball escapes leave former referees stunned

Rangers defender Connor Goldson has been branded “Teflon-coated” after two former referees insisted he was fortunate to escape conceding penalties for handball on three separate occasions.

The ball struck the centre-back's arm or hands while defending the Rangers box in recent fixtures against Ross County, Dundee United and Celtic, and retired grade one officials Des Roache and Steve Conroy, of the Get Involved Referee podcast, agreed that all three incidents should have resulted in spot-kicks – according to the current application of the rules.

The overall number of penalties awarded in the Scottish Premiership has skyrocketed since the introduction of VAR in November, with handball offences featuring highly. Despite this, Rangers have yet to concede a penalty this season and have not had one awarded against them since a top flight encounter at Pittodrie on January 18 last year, which allowed Lewis Ferguson to convert for Aberdeen in what proved a 1-1 draw.

“I think Connor Goldson has got a better save ratio than Allan McGregor this season!” said Roache, who finished refereeing in 2015, in an interview with Grosvener Sport.

Rangers' Connor Goldson was subject to a VAR check for this handball against Celtic - but no penalty was awarded. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

"Under the current laws of the game, the decisions were not given correctly. The ball bounces up and hits his arm against Ross County, the ball falls out of the air and hits his arm against Dundee United and he holds his hands to protect his good looks against Celtic.

“Ninety-nine per cent of the population would say all three are penalties. He shouldn’t be in a Rangers strip he should be wearing a Harlem Globetrotters outfit. It beggars belief the difference in interpretation of decisions between referees. It’s making a mockery of things. No other league in Europe has such a variance in what is given as a handball.”

Steve Conroy, who quit officiating in 2012, added: “There are three he’s got away with. In the sane world, none of them are penalties, but in the current climate, all three ARE penalties. He’s certainly Teflon-coated the number he gets away with. He has been damned jammy!

“You look at decisions given against Celtic’s Matt O’Riley when the ball bounced up and hit his arm and then Efe Ambrose – against Celtic for Morton – when he couldn’t possibly get out of the way, then what is the difference?”