BBC pundit reacts to Rangers v Hibernian incident on Sportscene

Cammy Bell admitted it was the right decision to hand Hibernian a penalty against Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday 29 September.

Speaking on BBC Sportscene (29 September), Bell said that despite John Souttar’s handball being unintentional, referee Nick Walsh and VAR were right to give the penalty.

The defender’s outstretched elbow was hit by a shot in the box just before half-time, but Jack Butland spared his blushes by saving Mykola Kuharevich’s effort as the Light Blues saw out a 1-0 win.

Bell said: “Listen, for me, I think it is a handball, I think it is a penalty.

“There is close proximity, I don’t think John Souttar actually means to handball it, he’s just trying to block the shot, but his hands are away from his body – for me it is a penalty kick.

“The referee has got the decision right eventually when VAR intervened.”

John Souttar and Rangers show mettle in Hibernian shutout

As Kuharevich stepped up to face Butland from 12 yards in first-half stoppage time, he looked set to become the first player in three-and-a-half games to breach the Gers’ defence.

Since a 3-0 hammering by Celtic before the international break, Philippe Clement’s side had recorded three back-to-back shutouts against Dundee United, Dundee and Malmo respectively.

Recording consecutive clean sheets in three different competitions is certainly not to be sniffed at, and thanks to Butland’s save from the “horrific” penalty, the Gers have now made it four in a row.

With Souttar, Butland and the at-first shaky Robin Propper at the heart of their defence, Clement’s new-look side are developing a steely determination which looks increasingly hard to get the better of.

Clement will be the first to say that his side dropped off massively against Hibs, but with a rock-solid trio at the back, the Belgian already has a defensive foundation to build on.

In other Rangers news, the club’s financial situation was mocked live on talkSPORT with a dig aimed towards Ally McCoist.

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