Motherwell have appealed Jack Vale’s red card but Dermot Gallagher has backed Craig Napier’s decision to send the Steelmen star off in Motherwell’s defeat to Aberdeen on Saturday.
With the scores level at 0-0, Motherwell were reduced to 10 men 12 minutes into the second half when Vale was shown a straight red card by whistler Napier for a high boot on Aberdeen full back Jack MacKenzie. Despite huge appeals from the Lanarkshire side’s players, VAR decided not to intervene and whistler Napier’s decision stood.
The game-winning goal was headed home by Stefan Gartenmann for the Dons four minutes later, utilising their numerical advantage off a Junior Hoilett corner. Following his team’s defeat, Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell was visibly incensed and even sent goalie Liam Kelly out for calling referee Napier, who promptly sent Vale packing, ‘arrogant’. The Fir Park team has announced that they have appealed the ruling to the SFA, and they intend to get it overturned in time for Saturday’s Premiership matchup against Livingston.
Commentators Neil McCann and Lee Miller of Sportscene expressed disappointment with the outcome as well, arguing that VAR ought to have intervened to reverse what they perceived to be a “clear and obvious error” made by the Pittodrie officials. But regardless of whether the player intended to hurt his opponent or not, veteran English Premier League referee Gallagher claims that the nature of Vale’s challenge was always going to result in a red card being shown when he appears on Sky Sports’ weekly ref watch segment.
But regardless of whether the player intended to hurt his opponent or not, veteran English Premier League referee Gallagher claims that the nature of Vale’s challenge was always going to result in a red card being shown when he appears on Sky Sports’ weekly ref watch segment. “I believe the only point of contention is that, even though he did it, he was always going to receive a red card,” he stated. When you see this task, it’s really awkward. Clap. It is a red card, indeed.
