Liam Scales admits Celtic handball but harsh overturned law took club on brink of record
Liam Scales was relieved that the "harsh" penalty against him against Hearts on Saturday was overturned - as it put Celtic on the brink of a defensive record.
The Hoops managed what was a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over the Jambos at Parkhead over the weekend but it could have been a lot different had referee Colin Steven stuck to his guns and given the visitors a spot-kick for a Scales handball.
The Irishman accepts that the ball did hit him on the arm but he explained how Lawrence Shankland was so close to him when his header cannoned back off his arm that it would have been a sore one to accept.
READ MORE: Steven Naismith on value of Brendan Rodgers private chat as Hearts boss thanks Celtic manager
As well as being tough to come to terms with giving away a soft penalty, Scales reckons it would also have been brutal on the Scottish Premiership league leaders' attempts to break a defensive record.
For the first time since 1906/7 Celts won their first five league matches without conceding a goal and Scales beamed that Brendan Rodgers had set them the target before kick-off. And the penalty might've cost them that.
"I knew it hit me on the arm, but I felt like it was harsh," he admitted. "It was so close to me. I’m glad that they overruled it. I think the referee took into account how close the header was to me.
“The manager mentioned before the game that we were on the brink of breaking it with another clean sheet. I’m happy we managed to get that, but now it’s about, hopefully, pushing on and getting more and setting a record that won’t be beaten. That’s the way we need to look at it because if you keep a clean sheet, the minimum you’re going to get out of a game is a draw. So for us, to keep doing that would be brilliant.
“It’s just been a really good start to the season. We’re really looking forward to Wednesday night and we just want to bring our form into that game. We really haven’t put a foot wrong, I don’t think. It’s just been fluid and it’s good to get back after the international break, get back together and get a result like that leading into a big game on Wednesday.”