St Mirren v Aberdeen: Officials got most right

Aberdeen were fortunate to take a point from their return to Premiership action at St Mirren following their midweek Euro heroics – but how was the refereeing performance in Paisley?

The man in the middle at SMiSA on Sunday for the 2-2 draw was John Beaton, taking charge of his second Dons game this season.

And the first major incident came around the 20-minute mark, when the home side thought they had scored the opener.

Baccus was offside because MacKenzie didn’t play ball deliberately

Keanu Baccus would fire past Kelle Roos in the Reds goal after a Ryan Strain shot was deflected into his path. Baccus was clearly standing in an offside position when the ball came to him, and that word – deflected – is crucial.

Baccus asked the question to the referee whether or not Jack MacKenzie had deliberately played the ball. Having seen replays of the incident, it is clear to me it is a deflection and not a deliberate play from the visiting defender which sends the ball Baccus’ way.

St Mirren’s Keanu Baccus argues with referee John Beaton after his goal is ruled out. Image: SNS.

Therefore, the officials were correct to rule out the goal.

Strain rightly booked for dive, and Duk went down too easily, too

The Buddies’ Strain would soon be involved again as a corner was cleared into his path.

He drove into the Aberdeen box, receiving a slight tug from Bojan Miovski en route, and then went down as Graeme Shinnie moved towards him to make a challenge.

The Aberdeen captain reacted furiously to the Australian, believing he had dived.

I felt it was simulation, with Strain going down in expectation of contact, rather than due to actual contact being made.

Ref Beaton agreed and booked the Buddies player.

St Mirren’s Ryan Strain is shown a yellow card for simulation against Aberdeen. Image: SNS.

Aberdeen then took a shock lead just before half-time – A Jonny Hayes cross-cum-shot finding its way into the net.

The foul which led to the free-kick was committed by Saints’ Richard Taylor on Duk – and I personally thought it was a soft foul, and one Duk bought.

Olusanya goal chalked off for another offside – not a foul

St Mirren would then have the ball in the net again, this time through Greg Kiltie. However, the goal was again chalked off, this time after a VAR check.

At first, some thought the goal was being disallowed due to a foul in the build up on Jack MacKenzie, which for me there was nothing in.

But it transpired the goal was (correctly again) disallowed for an offside against Toyosi Olusanya, which had been missed – with VAR showing its value here.

Both penalties for handball were correct under current rules

St Mirren would not be held back for long, though, as they converted a penalty to draw the game level at 1-1.

The referee awarded the penalty after a handball from Angus MacDonald, and I think it was the correct call from Beaton.

I do always feel defenders are somewhat unlucky at times when the ball hits their hand during an attempted block or tackle, as it can be almost impossible to keep your hands by your side.

But given what the laws of the game are now, MacDonald’s was away from his body and the cross did clearly strike it as he slid in to stop it.

This leads us directly on to another penalty awarded in the game, this time for Aberdeen when the Dons were 2-1 down deep in stoppage time.

Cypriot Alex Gogic would block a Leighton Clarkson strike from range with his arm.

And, again, I do think, within the laws of the game, it was the correct for VAR to ask for Beaton to review the incident and for Beaton to award a spot-kick.

However, the controversy only started there…

Miovski penalty shouldn’t have stood, but fine margins saved Dons

Reds striker Bojan Miovski would score the penalty, sending the ball down the middle and into the back of the net.

But, in slipping just before striking the spot-kick, did Miovski accidentally and illegally double-hit the ball?

A VAR check followed and the goal stood.

Now, having seen the highlights and watched the penalty several times, it is incredibly difficult to tell if there was a double-hit.

From the side angle, it looks fine, but from the straight-on angle, the ball definitely bounces up and spins – and this is either due to Miovski hitting the ball into the ground when he strikes it, or due to it coming off the right boot of Miovski before he hits it with his left.

Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski just before he slipped at the moment of converting a last-gasp penalty to make it 2-2 against St Mirren in the Premiership. Image: SNS.

I do think, following St Mirren’s protests and VAR reviewing Miovski’s penalty, it was strange ref Beaton was not sent to the monitor to look at it again for himself and to let him – as the man in charge – decide whether goal should stand.

Having taken a far longer time than VAR would have been able to in order to make my own mind up, I do think there was a double-touch from the Dons forward, with his standing foot coming into contact with the ball first.

Therefore, the goal should not have stood and an indirect free-kick should have been awarded.

But the contact being so minimal and hard to see on the footage seems to have worked in Aberdeen’s favour on this occasion.

Finlay Elder was a registered referee for six years and a category 5 official from 2019, with experience in the Highland League, Juniors and Club Academy