St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson voiced his displeasure with the officiating after the Saints 5-2 defeat to Celtic, particularly over a penalty decision in the 86th minute.

With St Mirren trailing 3-2, Roland Idowu was brought down in the box, but despite a VAR review, the referee waved away the claims. Robinson, however, was far from happy with the decision.

Robinson’s Reaction to the No-Call

Robinson didn’t shy away from his thoughts on the incident, stating firmly that his team should have been awarded a penalty. “It’s not a good claim – it’s a penalty,” he said: (RecordSport), adding that he didn’t blame the referee for the initial decision due to the speed of the challenge. He explained that Johnston’s tackle appeared to make contact with the ball before deflecting it in the opposite direction, but the decision still went against St Mirren. “It’s gone to VAR and they’ve reviewed it, and it’s not given. There’s not a whole lot we can do about it,” Robinson admitted, clearly frustrated by the lack of intervention.

The Timing of the Decision

With the game poised at 3-2, Robinson felt the penalty shout could have had a significant impact on the outcome. The timing was crucial—had St Mirren been awarded the penalty, they could have levelled the score with just minutes remaining. Instead, after the VAR review, Celtic swiftly capitalised on the situation, scoring a fourth goal to seal the victory. “At 3-2, you’re still very much in the game,” Robinson reflected, underlining just how pivotal the decision could have been.

Acknowledging the Role of Officials

Despite his frustration with VAR, Robinson took a balanced approach, giving credit where it was due. He praised the efforts of the fourth official and referee Matthew MacDermid, who had been in communication regarding the VAR review. “They’re waiting on VAR, they’re looking for help, that’s what we allegedly pay this money for,” Robinson said. However, he conceded that the final decision rested with VAR, and there was little that could be done once it had been made. “It’s a decision VAR has made and they deem it right,” he added.

Celtic’s Professionalism on Display

For Celtic, the victory was another demonstration of their professionalism and ability to weather pressure. While St Mirren were left to rue missed opportunities, Brendan Rodgers’ side stayed focused and clinical, ultimately securing a 5-2 win that took them one step closer to a 55th league title. For Robinson and St Mirren, it was a case of ‘what could have been,’ but Celtic’s dominance on the day proved decisive.