4 controversial Livingston vs Celtic incidents reviewed as Nick Walsh calls go under the microscope

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Celtic banished their River Almond agony in style with a 3-1 win and a dominant performance to boot over Livingston.But some fans and pundits questioned a number of refereeing decisions in both directions by official Nick Walsh and his team.Two penalty calls went under the microscope as well as a very dodgy corner decision that led to the away side's opener from Daizen Maeda.And that was all just in the first half while some reckoned there was a handball in the build up to Celtic's second, an own goal just a minute after the restart.Here's the verdict on all four decisions using the wording of football's global rule-makers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB).Maeda's strike in the 14th minute was blocked by the arm of Jack Fitzwater.

Walsh pointed to the spot and though it was inconsequential, as Callum McGregor rattled the post with his spot-kick, it remains a big talking point.

IFAB's guidance on handball states that referees "must judge the 'validity' of the hand/arm’s position in relation to what a player is doing with their body."Fitzwater was on the ground and used his arm to support his body weight as he prepared to get back up off the surface.Handball still remains subjective but it seems harsh to determine Fitzwater was making his body "unnaturally bigger", as the rules state.

However, Walsh may well argue that the defender moved to get up, then went to ground again to block the shot.Sky pundit James McFadden was right to point out that IFAB removed a paragraph from the handball law for this season – one which specifically dealt with players who have fallen to ground and which would have completely exonerated Fitzwater in this situation.It makes the call even more subjective and entirely up to