Ibrox side in “shock” as a penalty is finally conceded at home in the aftermath of “stonewaller” denied at Celtic Park

I’m generally fairly spot on with my preditctions.

It’s something I pride myself on, and I’m rarely wrong.

But when I am, I’m more than happy to eat humble pie and admit the error of my ways.

I got it wrong yesterday.

And I think I got it wrong because I underestimated the sheer cunning of the SFA and Crawford Allan.

These guys are good, they’re very good.

I genuinely thought they would not have the balls to award a penalty at Ibrox yesterday.

But they did.

And I don’t think it was down to balls.

Those of the testicular kind, of course, not the ones you kick around.

I get the feeling a bit of panic was starting to set in, and Crawford Allan found himself between a rock and a hard place.

An unwanted record was looming.

And looming with it, was unwanted scrutiny.

Scrutiny that might come from outwith the cosy confines of the Banana Republic that is Scottish football.

But also scrutiny from within, from every other club in the League system, if this amazing run had continued from the Ibrox side.

A crisis needed to be averted.

Part 1 of the plan didn’t go as seamlessly as expected when the Ibrox side were denied a “stonewall” penalty on Saturday against Celtic.

There was a bit of fall out from that one, wasn’t there?

This was “Aktion – show there is no corruption, and that the Ibrox side will be denied stonewallers just like everybody who is denied stonewallers against them.”

Willie Collum may just be collateral damage in the aftermath of Part 1.

This remains to be seen.

Part 2 of the plan was enacted last night.

This was “Aktion – give a penalty against the Ibrox side, no matter how “bizarre” the circumstances are.”

There had to be no record attained.

John Beaton and VAR Andrew Dallas were fully on board with this plan.

If it meant the spotlight being taken away from their corrupt behaviour, they were willing to do whatever it took.

Fair dues to Mr. Dallas, he looked hard for his opportunity.

So hard, that Philippe Clement was baffled by the decision when it came to pass.

The Herald picks it up with this:

Kilmarnock were awarded a spot-kick after a cross deflected off John Souttar’s hand as he slid to try and block the cross – whereas Alistair Johnston appeared to knock the ball out of play with his hand in the derby last week as he closed down Abdallah Sima in the box.

The this is what Clement had to say:

The only downside for me is that I cannot explain to my players anymore what is handball and what is not after this game if we get a penalty against like this and a goal against like this three days after what happened at Celtic Park. I can’t give them an explanation and that’s different as a manager when you cannot give an explanation.

Bless him, he can’t give his players an explanation.

I don’t think I could if I was him either.

He’d need to be a bit longer in the Scottish game to fully explain it.

Sort of like how I’m explaining it today.

In fact, I’ll simplify it a bit further for those who are hard of thinking.

A crisis needed to be averted yesterday.

John Beaton and Andrew Dallas ensured it was averted, even if it was bizarre.

Now nobody can say there’s a conspiracy going on in Scottish football.

The Ibrox side are treated the same as every one else.

They are subjected to the same ineptitude and “bizarreness” as every one else.

Pull the other one Crawford.

We didn’t come down in the last shower.

There’s being obvious.

And then there’s being blatantly obvious.

I’ll leave it at that.