The yellow card issued by referee Alan Muir to Hearts’ player Alan Forrest after he was involved in an incident early in the second-half with Ross County goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw inside the Dingwall side’s penalty box has been overturned.
The scoreline was 0-0 when Forrest went down as he drove towards goal after receiving a pass from Lawrence Shankland. Forrest was booked for simulation but the Tynecastle side lodged an appeal after viewing the incident from a number of angles.
Muir did not point to the penalty spot and the VAR system operators at the cinch Premiership match did not overturn the referee’s on-field decision.
Hearts drew the cinch Premiership clash 2-2 and Steven Naismith told Hearts Official Website: “I’m pleased for Alan. You will not meet a more honest player and his reputation has been restored.
“I am, however, still left bitterly disappointed by the whole situation. While we applaud the decision made by the tribunal, it merely confirms what we all knew at the time, that there was no dive and therefore it is not unreasonable to have expected a penalty award, giving us the opportunity to take a step towards winning the game and securing all three points.
“I have long been an advocate of VAR because it should ensure the right decisions are being made. On this occasion, and on others before it – away to Motherwell and at home to St Johnstone, and subsequently at Livingston when pictures showed Lawrence Shankland having his jersey pulled over his head inside the opposition’s penalty box – VAR has failed to make the right decision.
“This is simply not acceptable and I will, once again, be seeking an explanation from the Head of Referee Operations as to why these decisions continue to be made to our detriment.”
PICTURE: The controversial moment when Alan Forrest was challenged by Ross Laidlaw captured by David Mollison
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