Furious Rangers demand SFA answers over Auston Trusty kick that 'endangered safety' of Jack Butland
The USA international was only booked for the incident late in the first half
Rangers will reach out to SFA refs chief Willie Collum to demand an explanation on why Auston Trusty was not set-off at Hampden.
Furious Ibrox bosses believe the Celtic defender should have been dismissed during their Premier Sports Cup semi-final defeat after kicking Gers No1 Jack Butland in the head.
Danny Rohl’s Light Blues were already a goal and a man down themselves having had seen Thelo Aasgaard receive a straight red after planting his studs into Tony Ralston’s thigh when the first-half flashpoint occurred.
Butland had raced off to gather a loose ball just seconds before the break when Trusty’s stray boot made contact with the keeper’s head.
But referee Nick Walsh decided there was not enough force to merit a sending off and booked the defender instead.
The decision has infuriated Ibrox chiefs and Record Sport understands the club will now take the matter up with head of refereeing Collum and insist the incident endangered Butland’s safety, and therefore should have resulted in a dismissal.
Seething skipper James Tavernier admits he was stunned when Walsh failed to balance up the red card count at Hampden.
He raged: “With Thelo, the ref said it’s the force of how he's gone into the challenge. You know, he's not really seen Ralston come for the ball. He's just gone for the ball.
“But then Jack's diving on the floor, he's already got the ball and he gets kicked in the head. No matter what the intent is, it's still intent and you can't kick a goalkeeper in the head.
“So you'd expect the same level of approach. And then obviously further into the game, Dio gets kicked in the stomach area just where you'd say the same place and nothing's done.
“But that's no excuses. We have to as a team be more clinical in that game. It's disappointing, but you know, it's up to us to react to them moments. You know, things are going to get thrown at us, nothing's always going to go your way. So, it's down to us to react.
“I thought we reacted quite well, but it's just the small margins in these big games - it's the details you have to be really good at.”
Johnny Kenny gave Celtic the lead before Tavernier hit back from the spot after Ralston was penalised for handball.
That sent the game to extra-time but goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmond fired Celtic through to the final, where they will face St Mirren on December 14.