Lee Johnson reveals sympathy for Rangers star Tillman as Hibs boss recalls his own controversial strike

Lee Johnson admits he doesn’t trust himself to copy his dad or Michael Beale and order his players to gift a goal to the opposition if his side had benefited from a disputed strike.

The Hibs boss says he has sympathy for Ibrox star Malik Tillman who found himself in the middle of an almighty storm this week over his controversial goal against Partick Thistle. But he insists the awkward situations could be avoided if all players stopped kicking the ball out of play to stop the game - and left that decision to the match officials.

Tillman scored after pinching the ball from Kevin Holt with the Jags defender about to return it to Rangers after it had been played out to allow treatment to the on-loan Bayern Munich star. Beale - who said the German had no idea how the throw-in came about - ordered his team to step aside and allow Thistle to walk in an equaliser in a sensational Viaplay Cup quarter final at Ibrox.

Johnson was at the centre of a similar incident 19 years ago when he scored for Yeovil against Plymouth when Argyle players were expecting him to return the ball having themselves knocked it out to allow treatment to an injured player. His own dad Gary was Johnson’s boss at the time and won a FIFA Fair Play Award after telling his players to gift Plymouth an equaliser from kick off.

A similar row broke out when Marcelo Bielsa ordered his Leeds stars to allow Aston Villa an equaliser after they’d scored in a Premier League clash while a Villa player was down injured in the centre circle. Asked if he would do the same as his dad, the Hibs boss said: “It depends. I’ll be honest with you, I don’t trust myself.

“It’s all contextual. I wouldn’t have in the Leeds situation that Bielsa allowed. I probably would have done in