Rangers will contact SFA head of referees Willie Collum for an explanation as to why Auston Trusty was not sent off during the match at Hampden Park. Ibrox managers are furious that the Celtic defender should have been shown a red card for kicking Gers goalkeeper Jack Butland in the head during the Premier Sports Cup semi-final when he was beaten.
Danny Rohr’s Light Blues were already leading by one point, with Thero Asgaard sent off for a dangerous tackle on Tony Ralston during a first-half Trusty accident. Butland ran off his line to pick up a loose ball just before half-time, but was accidentally hit in the head by Trusty’s boot. However, referee Nick Walsh decided that the contact was not sufficient to warrant a sending off and gave Trustee a yellow card instead.
The decision has infuriated Ibrox officials and Record Sport understands the club will now take issue with Mr Collum, arguing that the incident posed a threat to Mr Butland’s safety and should therefore have resulted in the trustee’s sacking.
Rangers captain James Tavanier was furious and confessed his shock when Walsh was unable to top the number of red cards given against Hampden.
He revealed this: “In Thero’s case, the referee said it was the strength of the way he approached the challenge. You know, he didn’t really see Ralston coming for the ball. He just went for the ball.”
“But then Jack dives on the floor and already has the ball and gets kicked in the head. Whatever the intent, it’s still the intent and you can’t kick the goalkeeper in the head.”
“So you would expect the same level of approach and obviously further into the game Dio got kicked in the stomach in exactly the same spot and he did nothing.
“But that’s no excuse. We had to be more responsive as a team in that game. It’s unfortunate, but it’s up to us to react to those moments. You know, things are going to be thrown at us and nothing always goes our way, so it’s up to us to react.”
“I thought I responded pretty well, but this is just a small difference in a big game. It’s the details that we have to be really good at.”
Johnny Kenny put Celtic ahead and Tavernier scored the equalizing goal from the penalty spot after Ralston was penalized for handball. This led to extra time, but goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmond secured Celtic a place in the final against St Mirren on 14 December.
