Motherwell goalkeeper Calum Ward has spoken out about the controversial Celtic penalty awarded at Fir Park, describing it as “one of the biggest decisions in the season.”
Ward admitted he was left frustrated by the flashpoint and believes additional angles that emerged after the final whistle prove referee John Beaton should not have given the spot kick.
The incident caught the attention of pundits across the globe after Sam Nicholson was judged to have handled the ball in the final seconds of the match, with the scores level at 2-2.
VAR official Andrew Dallas intervened to flag the incident to Beaton, who subsequently awarded the penalty to the visitors.
Kelechi Iheanacho stepped up and converted from 12 yards, a goal that proved to have significant implications for the Scottish title race.
Had the game remained level, Celtic would have needed to win by three goals to claim the championship, but in the end a single victory was sufficient.
Martin O’Neill’s men secured a 3-1 win over the Jambos to be crowned champions, meaning the Motherwell penalty call ultimately shaped the destination of the title.
Since the season concluded, the SFA’s KMI panel declared that the match officials got the decision wrong, adding further weight to Ward’s grievance.
Speaking to club media, Ward said: “It’s hard to say anything, because at the time every player in that box doesn’t see what happened.”
He continued: “You don’t see anyone claiming for it, you don’t hear any noise from the fans – it’s just like another throw-in.”
Ward described the moment of realisation, saying: “You see the referee put his finger to his ear and you are like ‘right, something is going on here, we just don’t know what’.”
The goalkeeper questioned the speed at which the decision was reached, adding: “After seeing it back after the game it’s hard to see how he has come to that decision in such a short amount of time. Was it, what, 20 seconds he was over there?”
Ward pressed further on the pace of the call, stating: “It’s one of the biggest decisions in the season to make, and you have made it in 20 seconds? You think making it so quickly means it’s so obvious.”
He also referenced newly surfaced footage that has deepened his frustration with the ruling at Fir Park.
Ward concluded: “There is an angle that has come out recently from behind the goal that literally has the ball coming off the top of his head. So, it was even more sickening after the game.”
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