This brings us up to date with the review of big calls affecting the top two in the SPFL.
17/10/26 Dundee vs The Rangers
Incident 1
Referee: Duncan Nicholson
Game Minute: 8th
Score At Time: 0-0
Incident: Ball hits Astley in the box
Outcome: No decision
Evidence:
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict:
IOD: No decision
As Astley goes to block the shot, it hit his foot first before bouncing up onto his arm. As this is a deflection from his body then onto the arm, this incident is correctly identified as accidental handball and natural body shape, so no foul committed.
Verdict: CORRECT decision.
Expected Points Outcome: No impact
24/10/26 The Rangers vs St Johnstone
Incident 1
Referee: Chris Graham
Game Minute: 74th
Score At Time: 3-0
Incident: Fotheringham challenges Raskin
Outcome: Foul to TRFC; RC to Fotheringham
Evidence:
At 4:32
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict:
IOD; Foul to Rangers and Fotheringham sent off for endangering players safety.
As Fotheringham slides in, during wet conditions, he makes contact with the ball first before his follow through sees all his studs plant onto the inside calf of Raskin.
As he is not in control of the slide and the contact is well off the ground, I can understand why VAR recommended an on-field review. In real time, this will have been easy to miss.
Verdict: CORRECT decision.
25/10/26 Hibernian vs Celtic
Incident 1
Referee: Ryan Lee
Game Minute: 44th
Score At Time: 1-1
Incident: Duran scores for Celtic
Outcome: Goal to Celtic
Evidence:
At 2:05
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict:
IOD: Goal to Celtic
In the build up to this goal, as a Hibs player looks to win the ball, he is out under pressure for a Celtic player and ends up on the ground. Although he ends up off balance and on the floor, I cannot see clear infringement from the Celtic player here and feel the goal is right in standing.
Verdict: CORRECT decision.
Expected Points Outcome: No impact.
28/10/26 Celtic vs Dundee United
Incident 1
Referee: Steven McLean
Game Minute: 32nd
Score At Time: 1-2
Incident: Donovan challenges Sapsford
Outcome: Foul to Dundee Utd; YC to Donovan
Evidence: Provided
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict:
IOD: Foul to Dundee Utd and Donovan cautioned
Donovan appears to catch his opponent late as he stretches to play the ball and is shown a yellow card for a reckless tackle, but the Dundee Utd players appear to be asking for a red card for a tackle with excessive force/endangering player safety.
Upon review, this has some similarities with the Fotheringham red card reviewed above. As even though Donovan appears to play the ball first, it is his follow through that catches his opponent on the back of the half.
The key difference here is that Donovan’s leg is bent as the contact is made, so the force of the challenge is less and it is not extended leg & studs that catch the player, rather a bent leg/shin that collides with the other player.
For me, this challenge just falls short of triggering an excessive force challenge and is correctly adjudged to be a caution worthy tackle only.
Verdict; CORRECT decision.
Expected Points Outcome: No impact
Summary
My thanks, as always, to the Yorkshire Whistler.
Thankfully the attention is all upon the stuttering performances of the protagonists rather than the referees for the time being.
With no new wrongly impactful decisions this time out the situation remains:
So far Celtic are estimated to have lost 1.14 points from refereeing errors and The Rangers benefitted by 0.46 points. A difference of 1.6 expected points in The Rangers favour.
After 12 matches for Celtic and 11 for The Rangers, Celtic leads The Rangers by four points.