Michael Beale explains his big Rangers call as he refuses to throw Malik Tillman under boss over 'misunderstanding'

The boos were ringing round Ibrox but all Michael Beale could hear were knives being drawn and pencils being sharpened.

The Rangers faithful may have not have liked the huge call taken by their boss as he ordered his players to stand aside and allow Partick Thistle to cancel out Malik Tillman’s controversial strike during Sunday’s drama-filled Scottish Cup scrap - and they certainly made their feelings known at the time. But the Londoner’s first instinct was that the whole messy affair didn’t look right - and more importantly, it didn’t reflect the true nature of the young man standing in the middle of a red and yellow storm.

Beale revealed in the aftermath of the bonkers fifth round clash that he’d given the nod for Scott Tiffoney’s walk-in equaliser because he feared Tillman would be tarred as a cheat. There were plenty of jabbing fingers being poked in the American internationalist’s direction as he robbed the ball back from Thistle’s Kevin Holt and slotted it into the Jags net just as the Maryhill men were preparing to return possession following a break in play so Tillman could receive treatment.

Beale put the whole thing down to a simple misunderstanding but knew there would be others leaping to much harsher conclusions in the aftermath of a game Rangers eventually won 3-2. The Jags didn’t deserve to fall behind in such bizarre circumstances but neither, Beale insists, does Tillman merit having his reputation trashed over an honest mistake.

He said: “Listen, since I have been here and since the first interview I said I was excited to work with Malik. I think he is a fantastic young player and he has been terrific for the last few weeks, absolutely outstanding.

“I’m glad that we collectively made the decision we