Cyriel Dessers and Rangers supporters were furious with referee Nick Walsh during the first half of their Scottish Premiership loss to Motherwell at Ibrox on Saturday.
Early goals from Luke Armstrong and Tom Sparrow put the visitors in control before Dessers, 30, pulled one back in the 54th minute, which ultimately proved to be just a consolation.
Barry Ferguson’s return to Ibrox as interim manager saw late drama when Dessers thought he had netted a second goal, only for the offside flag to go up. VAR later confirmed the decision.
However, a controversial moment in the first half, with Motherwell leading 1-0, left Dessers and the home crowd demanding an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area.
Walsh dismisses Rangers’ pass-back appeals
In the 23rd minute, Motherwell’s Lennon Miller, who has been linked with Rangers, appeared to send a pass back to goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe, who then picked up the ball after it bounced.
Rangers players and fans immediately protested, urging Walsh to award an indirect free-kick.
However, former FIFA referee Keith Hackett explained that the ball had deflected off Dessers before reaching Balcombe, and the assistant referee—who was well-positioned—would have relayed this information to Walsh.
“The assistant referee had a clear view of whether the ball made contact with a player on its way to goal,” Hackett told Ibrox News. “He would have communicated this via his comms system, confirming that it was not a back pass.”
Rangers fans searching for excuses
After footage of the incident surfaced online, many Rangers fans were convinced Walsh had made a glaring error by not awarding the indirect free-kick.
However, the replay suggests the ball touched Dessers before reaching Balcombe, and the assistant referee would have immediately conveyed this to Walsh.
For Rangers supporters blaming referees for such incidents, it’s time to focus on the real issues—the players, management, and board.
The long-awaited 49ers Enterprises takeover at Ibrox can’t come soon enough.
