Alex Gogic Handball At Paisley Sparks Rangers Fans’ Fury After Penalty Not Given
Rangers supporters vented uproar after an early handball involving Alex Gogic was not penalised in a 1-0 win at Paisley, a decision that sparked fresh complaints about officiating despite the visiting side securing three points.
The Incident: Quick Appeals, Brief VAR Review
The contested moment came in the 12th minute from a corner when Nicolas Raskin met a delivery with a header that appeared to be blocked by the arm of St Mirren centre-back Alex Gogic. Match officials on the field, led by referee Steven McLean, waved away the appeals and the VAR team carried out a short review before upholding the on-field call. Play continued, and Rangers later took the lead through Tuur Rommens’ first-half volley, which stood as the match’s only goal.
Alex Gogic Contact Prompts Fan Backlash And Comparisons
Supporters expressed strong frustration at the decision, describing the dismissal as laughable and sharing anger online. Several fans drew direct comparisons with a handball that had been punished against Dujon Sterling a few weeks earlier, noting what they saw as inconsistent application of the rules. A popular fan commentary labelled the call “absolutely laughable, ” and other posts argued the situation was little different from the previous incident that resulted in a penalty being awarded.
Former Player Reaction And Match Stakes
Former Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield assessed the play and said the match officials reached the right decision, arguing that the defender had no opportunity to react and that penalties cannot be expected for such contact. The game carried significance in the league context: Rangers needed the win and secured the three points as rivals had recent positive results, but supporters were left irritated by the contentious early moment even though their team won.
The complaint from the fanbase highlights ongoing tensions over high-profile refereeing decisions. While the club advanced with a narrow victory at SMISA Stadium, the debate over handball interpretations is likely to persist given the close timing between this occurrence and an earlier, differently judged incident involving another player.
What happens next is unclear and will depend on how competition authorities and officiating bodies respond to club and supporter concern. For now, the result stands and Rangers move on with a one-goal success, while calls for clearer consistency in handball decisions remain loud among their supporters.
