Willie Collum LUCKY to get Rangers and Hearts blockbuster as 'high profile' credentials eviscerated after Livi howler

Former top referees Des Roache and Steve Conroy reckon Willie Collum is lucky to land the Viaplay Cup semi-final showdown after his latest Scottish Premiership display.

Collum is set for a busy week of action as he will take on VAR duties for the blockbuster clash between Hearts and Rangers in the Viaplay Cup semi-final. That will follow the official taking on VAR duties for the Wednesday night Premiership clash between Kilmarnock and St Johnstone - but Roache and fellow ex whistler Conroy have been left baffled by the appointments.

The pair took aim at Collum after he missed Livingston's Christian Montano's stamp on Dundee midfielder Malachi Boateng on field before the VAR team stepped in to review the incident - with the Livi star eventually seeing red in Dundee's 2-0 victory. Conroy told Sharemarketcap.com: “It’s one of the most cast-iron red cards you will see all season. I have absolutely no idea how Willie managed to miss that.

“It was right in front of him. He had a clear an unobstructed view, but he still missed it. Thankfully VAR stepped in and did what it’s supposed to do and corrected a clear and obvious error. Fair play to Davie Martindale for coming out and saying it was a clear red card.”

Roache chimed in: “It was another example of Collum-vision. It was literally two yards in front of him and he allowed play to go and then brought it back. I can only imagine someone was shouting in his ear, probably the fourth official. How many times do we see these high-profile errors and yet this referee continues to get high profile appointments? To me it’s one of the worst decisions of the season. Thankfully someone dug him out of a hole.”