Ex-FIFA referee responds instantly to Don Robertson controversy in Rangers’ defeat to Hibernian.

Rangers’ disappointing start to the Scottish Premiership campaign was accompanied by controversy on Sunday, with referee Don Robertson’s decision to award Hibernian a first-half penalty becoming one of the major talking points from the 2-1 defeat.

Derek McInnes’ side were hoping to begin their league campaign with a victory, but their afternoon quickly became complicated when Hibernian were awarded a spot-kick after just 12 minutes. The incident involved Vanja Dragojevic and Jason Kerr, with the Rangers defender judged to have pulled his opponent down inside the penalty area.

Robertson initially reviewed the incident with the assistance of VAR before deciding that a foul had taken place. Dragojevic was shown a yellow card, while Hibernian were given the opportunity to take the lead from 12 yards.

Josh Campbell accepted the responsibility and made no mistake from the penalty spot, sending the ball beyond Rangers goalkeeper Ivor Pandur to put the visitors ahead.

Rangers eventually found a route back into the match when Miguel Chaiwa turned the ball into his own net, bringing the hosts level and giving McInnes’ team renewed hope of completing a comeback.

However, the Gers were ultimately unable to find a winning goal. Instead, Hibernian struck late through Callum Wright, whose decisive effort secured a 2-1 victory for the visitors and left Rangers frustrated.

The penalty incident has continued to attract attention following the final whistle, particularly because of the timing of the decision and its potential influence on the contest.

Keith Hackett questions penalty decision

Former FIFA and Premier League referee Keith Hackett has now offered his assessment of the controversial moment, suggesting that the decision was far from straightforward.

Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, Hackett argued that it was difficult to determine exactly which player was responsible for the grappling. In his opinion, both Dragojevic and Kerr appeared to be holding each other, meaning the decision could reasonably have gone in either direction.

Hackett also suggested that the early stages of the new Scottish season could see officials take a stricter approach to physical contact and grappling inside penalty areas.

He explained that it appeared Scotland was beginning the campaign with a stronger emphasis on stopping players from holding opponents during set-piece situations and incidents inside the box.

The former official acknowledged, however, that Robertson and the VAR team were satisfied that they had reached the correct conclusion.

That assessment is unlikely to completely settle the debate among Rangers supporters, especially given that the penalty gave Hibernian an early advantage. Nevertheless, Hackett’s comments underline how difficult such incidents can be to judge when both players appear to be involved in the physical contest.

Rangers must look beyond refereeing decisions

While the penalty decision undoubtedly influenced the match, Rangers cannot afford to use Robertson’s call as an explanation for the defeat.

The bigger concern for McInnes is that his team did not produce enough quality to take control of the game themselves. Even after equalising, Rangers failed to build enough attacking momentum and eventually conceded the decisive goal.

Their lack of creativity remains particularly concerning. Despite already completing nine signings, the squad still appears to need additional quality in key attacking areas.

Rangers require players capable of changing matches rather than simply adding numbers to the squad. A genuine difference-maker could improve their attacking threat, but even the arrival of one high-quality player is unlikely to solve every problem immediately.

The current difficulties are more significant than one position or one individual. Rangers need greater creativity, improved attacking cohesion and more consistent performances throughout the team.

That means McInnes and his players cannot afford to become distracted by refereeing controversies. Decisions will inevitably go for and against them during a long Scottish Premiership season, and the strongest response is to make sure the team is good enough to overcome contentious moments.

Patience required from McInnes

The defeat to Hibernian is an early warning sign rather than a reason to panic. There is still plenty of football to be played, but Rangers need to address their shortcomings quickly if they are serious about challenging for major honours.

The club’s recruitment work may not be finished, particularly if the management team believes another attacking player can provide the creativity currently missing.

However, expectations need to be realistic. Bringing in a new signing will not instantly transform Rangers into a complete team, particularly when the squad is still adapting to McInnes’ methods.

The manager will need time to develop his players, establish the right combinations and improve their attacking patterns. More importantly, the squad must show a willingness to work hard on the training ground and respond positively to setbacks.

Rangers cannot afford many more performances like the one against Hibernian if they want to remain involved in the title race. Hearts and Celtic are both expected to provide serious competition, meaning the margin for error could be small.

The road back to the top may therefore require patience rather than a quick solution. McInnes needs his players to improve collectively, while the club must continue searching for quality additions.

Ultimately, the penalty controversy may dominate the immediate reaction to the defeat, but Rangers’ biggest challenge lies elsewhere. If they improve their creativity, attacking efficiency and overall consistency, controversial decisions will have less power to determine their results.

For now, the Hibernian loss should serve as motivation. Rangers have time to recover, but they must learn quickly, strengthen where necessary and work tirelessly if they are to challenge Celtic and Hearts for the Scottish Premiership title.