Rangers to complain to Scottish FA after Celtic loss and Aaron Trusty red card scandal

Rangers are set to contact SFA referees' chief Willie Collum for an explanation as to why Auston Trusty was not sent off during the match at Hampden Park. Ibrox bosses, seething with anger, believe that the Celtic defender should have been shown the red card during their Premier Sports Cup semi-final loss after he kicked Gers' goalkeeper Jack Butland in the head.

The Light Blues, managed by Danny Rohl, were already a goal down and had Thelo Aasgaard sent off for a dangerous tackle on Tony Ralston when the incident involving Trusty occurred in the first half. Butland had sprinted off his line to collect a loose ball just before half-time when Trusty's boot accidentally hit him in the head. However, referee Nick Walsh deemed the contact insufficiently forceful to warrant a sending off and instead issued Trusty with a yellow card.

This decision has incensed Ibrox officials and Record Sport understands that the club will now raise the issue with Collum, arguing that the incident posed a risk to Butland's safety and thus should have resulted in Trusty's dismissal.

A fuming James Tavernier, Rangers' captain, confessed his shock when Walsh did not even up the number of red cards given out at Hampden.

He vented: "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 put Celtic ahead before Tavernier equalised from the penalty spot after Ralston was penalised for handball. This led to extra-time, but goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmond secured Celtic's place in the final against St Mirren on December 14.