Punch or Push??

[Sheffields Finest]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38470818
Thoughts??

 

[es1]

Punch! Clear violent conduct imo

 

[Paul March]

Looked very punchy to me

 

[holbeach ref]

Definitely a punch for me

 

[richard ramjane]

punch, but not a very good one !

 

[Trip]

The critical questions are 1) is it a fist or a palm? 2) how much force?

It is impossible to judge from the footage whether it was a fist. It doesn't look to me like there's much force involved. I'd be reluctant to read too much into the reaction of the St Johnstone particularly since it seems to take him a moment to realise he should be reacting at all.

So, it might be a punch but I don't think you can be sure of that from this footage.

 

[A Freethinker]

Violent conduct clear from the motion of the arm, it wasn't a push whether hand closed or open can't tell but I would defo be walking for it!

 

[GraemeS]

I think it's a punch, but it's grey enough that I suspect the on-field decision will be upheld. If the ref had seen it and shown red, that wouldn't have been overturned, but I don't think there's enough there to prove a punch either. One of those.

 

[Paul March]

Does it matter- the laws are about striking or attempting to strike. Says nothing about punch, opens handed or otherwise. Snidely little barsteward if you ask me.