Former referee Stuart Dougal insists referee Nick Walsh and VAR were right to send off Alex Cochrane during yesterday's Hearts vs Celtic showdown.

The Tynecastle defender was given his marching orders shortly before half-time for a last man challenge on Celtic winger Daizen Maeda.

Cochrane was originally given a yellow card, but VAR chief Willie Collum instructed Walsh to view the incident again, and he was subsequently shown red.

Dougal believes the officials came to the right conclusion as he appeared on the BBC's Vardict show.

He said: "First and foremost the VAR situation if we look at that first. VAR thinks there's a clear and obvious error.

"The match referee has got a certain angle, you can see him come in from the left to the right. Doesn't have a particularly wide angle. I can understand why he may have thought it was a yellow.

"When it's stopped there for me there's no doubt that it is denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity and therefore it is a red card.

"I fully understand that a lot of people think it's harsh but VAR can't be criticised there for getting the referee across and if we bear in mind that Nick Walsh is one of our more experienced referees now.

"He's seen it with the naked eye first time thinks it's a yellow. Willie Collum, the VAR, thinks it's more than a yellow, gives Nick a chance to go and have a look at it again and he can see what Willie Collum can see because he's got a wider angle.

"So, another very good example of how VAR is working and helping the match referee and the referee team to get the right decisions to get the right outcome as per the laws of the game.

"Of course we understand why people think it's harsh but that's the law."

He continued: "We don't look into 'is this player fast, is this player slow.' It's where did the offence take place? Where was the ball going?

"You can see the ball is coming in heading towards the penalty area which is another discussion point altogether.

"That player, and I would argue that most players would fancy themselves, if they're not touched or fouled they would have a shot on goal.

"It's an obvious goal scoring opportunity. The defenders that are running back.

"I know that the referee doesn't have another option."