EVEN in the calm after the storm, coming to a decisive conclusion is far from plain sailing. It was the incident that provoked a post-match outburst and has sparked considerable debate, and it continues to do so.
Nicky Law was at the heart of the action, has seen it again and knows there will still be firm stances on either side of the fence. There was, of course, no doubt what Peter Houston thought of it all.
The Falkirk manager was incensed when referee John McKendrick awarded Rangers a free-kick for a challenge by Tom Taiwo on Law at Ibrox on Saturday. When James Tavernier curled the ball into the bottom corner, and Lee Wallace clinched the win for Mark Warburton’s side in the last minute, Falkirk’s frustrations and anger were compounded.
Even now, after observers have poured over the replays, there is no definitive answer to whether McKendrick made the right call. His split second reaction left Houston furious, but Law insists there is no clear cut answer.
“I’ve seen it again in our analysis meeting and it has split opinion,” he said. “A few of the boys felt it wasn’t a foul and a few thought it was one. At the time, I didn’t know the boy had nicked the ball - I just felt the contact when he and I clashed and it forced me down onto the floor. The ref gave it but even now you can see it both ways. If he hadn’t given it, I don’t think anyone would have argued.
“It shows how difficult it was for the ref that people are still talking about it. It’s not like it was a diving incident - there’s contact but you can understand why they do feel aggrieved, but either way it would have split opinion right down the middle.”
Having survived a scare against the Bairns, Rangers can now reflect on an impressive first quarter of the campaign. Victory on Saturday was their ninth in succession in the Championship and they are already in a commanding position in the title race.
It has been a dream start for Warburton at Ibrox as his new look squad have swept teams aside and given fans hope of a brighter future after a bleak few years. The visit of Queen of the South a week on Saturday is next on the agenda, and Law is confident things can get even better at Ibrox.
“To win nine in a row at any level is a fantastic achievement at any level, whoever you are,” he said. “We’ve played some really good stuff in the first quarter of the season and in some games maybe not as good. There is a long way to go for us, and we’ve got consistency in terms of results but in the last few weeks I don’t think we’ve been as good as we were at the start, so there is still a lot to work on.”
For those that have seen Rangers in action in previous years, the difference between then and now is clear to see as Warburton and David Weir have made an instant impact. For players like Law, it is almost night and day.
The 27-year-old is in the final months of his Ibrox contract and while he has been an important part of Warburton’s squad, he has a fight on his hands to become an integral part of the starting line-up. He is determined to play his part, though, and help Rangers, belatedly, clinch a return to the Premiership.
“I want to do that,” he said. “I know how difficult it is to get in the team and it’s only going to get more difficult because the manager will strengthen again - I think he’ll have to - but when I do get chances I’ll do as much as I can when I’m on the pitch and every day in training. It’s up to me to get myself back in there.
“I feel there are chances there for me and I’m sitting there thinking I won’t get back in the team. We are not blowing teams away as much as we were at the start. There are chances there for me and I’ll get them between now and the end of the season. It’s up to me to take them.”
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