Lawrence Shankland explains Celtic handball and jokes 'Zander Clark would've been proud'

Lawrence Shankland admits he could have no complaints over his Celtic Park penalty gaffe and joked: 'Zander Clark would have been proud!'

The Hearts striker couldn't hide his guilt after conceding a late spotkick in the 3-0 defeat in Glasgow. Despite the entire standing spotting the handball, ref Kevin Clancy only pointed to the spot after a VAR review. But honest Shankland, 28, revealed he even told the whistler it was a blatant penalty as he feared receiving a second booking.

The PFA Scotland Player of the Year said: "The only thing I didn't do was point to the spot! Matt O'Riley flicked it and my hand was there and I protected my face. It was a stonewall penalty. I actually told Kevin Clancy myself.

"I didn't know how the bookings worked with handball so that was my worry because I was on a booking. I went to him and just said, 'Listen, I have handballed that but it was just instinctive'.

"He went to the screen and then gave it. You can't get away with it with VAR, you know that it is going to come back. I stood about and played everybody onside as well. I was laughing a wee bit when I saw it back.

"I couldn't understand why I had handballed it. I thought, 'How have I handballed that when the ball is so high?'. But it was a strong wrist. Zander Clark would have been proud of it."