Referee directive which saw Celtic avoid Dundee penalty for Jota handball revealed

Referee Gavin Duncan was correct not to hand Dundee a late penalty against Celtic after the ball struck Jota’s arm in the area, a former top flight official has confirmed.

The flashpoint could have given Dundee the chance of a third goal at Celtic Park late in the game, but when the Portuguese booted the ball clear and the referee blew the whistle he pointed down the tunnel to end the game, and not to the spot.

It had been a topsy-turvy game where the lead changed hands and Mark McGhee’s new side pushed the league leaders all the way, but the decision was the right one according to Sky Sports’ analyst Dermot Gallagher.

The former English Premier League referee referred to a refereeing directive which gave the benefit of the doubt to players trying to clear the ball in cases of handball.

“It strikes his head and goes onto his hand but the referee is never going to give handball because that’s what the directive is - if it comes off your own body onto your arm then no penalty,” Gallagher explained.

Asked for more detail on the officiating instruction, he told Sky Sports News’ RefWatch: “[It changed] a few years ago because it was felt it was unfair on a player because he was trying to play the ball, and if he miscontrols it and it strikes his arm it’s not given.”

Celtic came back from a goal down to win 3-2 thanks to a Giorgos Giakoumakis hat-trick – the winner coming late, with just four minutes to play before the even later spot-kick claims.