IAN Evatt reckons the inconsistency in English football over the use of VAR and full-time officials is a matter that must be addressed urgently.

Wanderers had their first taste of VAR in the second half of Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Luton Town in the FA Cup as a potential penalty against Will Forrester was briefly checked, then cleared.

The system will not be present in the replay at the Toughsheet Stadium, however, as it is currently only available at top-flight grounds, a point which was raised and queried by Evatt in his post-match press conference.

“I would just like to see it applied more consistently,” he said. “The Premier League isn’t more important than the Championship, League One or League Two, so there should be a level of consistency where we all have it, or we don’t.

“We are not going to have it in a replay but the big decision in the first game was a VAR decision, so what happens in the replay if we get a penalty that wasn’t? Rob will be begging for VAR.

“It has to be applied to everybody.”

Organisers of the Carabao Cup confirmed yesterday that VAR will not be in operation during the semi-finals because Middlesbrough, who currently play in the Championship, are not equipped with the technology.

Evatt said his first experience of a decision going to the video referee was a “strange” one but he was happy to accept the decision, made by Chris Kavanagh and his team at Stockley Park.

“It was a strange experience, I will say that, but when the referee makes a call and then it goes to two experienced referees in the VAR hub, we have to back and support them that they are going to get it right,” he said.

“Football is always going to be subjective. I am comfortable the right decision was made on the day, simple as that.”

Evatt has long-since championed the introduction of full-time referees in the lower two divisions, insisting that it would lead to more consistently correct decisions being made.

“I could go on a big rant about this because I have been banging the drum for ages – but there has to be consistency throughout the levels, throughout the competitions,” he said.

“It goes deeper. There is enough money for referees in League One and League Two to be professional.

“They are part-time guys doing the best they can and we are not going to get decisions consistently right unless we give them a chance to do it all the time, make it their job.

“Some of the refs we have in League One, we have had some bad decisions, but I have sympathy for them because when they are doing day jobs and coming to games at night it is not ideal.

“It is human nature they get things wrong and I think we can do so much better in helping them with VAR, having it more consistent.”