Rangers boss Mark Warburton rages at referee for robbing his side of a point against Aberdeen
Ibrox boss claimed the fourth official admitted the controversial free-kick that swung the result should never have been given
RAGING Rangers manager Mark Warburton slammed ref John Beaton for costing his side a point at Pittodrie.
James Maddison’s superb 90th-minute free-kick won it for Dons.
But the Gers boss was furious that a foul was awarded against James Tavernier in the build-up, when he won the ball cleanly from Jonny Hayes.
Warburton said: “I will be careful what I say about the free-kick.
“Everyone saw the ball move in the challenge. The fourth official on the sidelines saw the ball move and made a comment.
“Yet a free-kick is given. You have to be 100 per cent sure in these type of games, in those areas of the park.
“If that had been in the box would it have been a penalty? That was my question.
“I thought the referee handled a difficult game very well.
“He did a really good job up to that point, but to give that one is frustrating beyond belief.
“I spoke to him afterwards, but that was a private conversation and it should remain private, for a variety of reasons.”
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Asked what the fourth official, Don Robertson, said to him at the time the free-kick was given, Warbs added: “He said he didn’t think it was a free-kick.
“He said that on the sidelines, everyone saw the ball move. It was an outstanding tackle by James Tavernier so late in the game, when your players are fatigued.
“I don’t think their player moaned about it, and it is a huge decision to give.
“Anywhere around the box we would love that, with the likes of Tav in our team. We would love that decision.”
But Dons boss Derek McInnes insists Tavernier only had himself to blame.
McInnes said: “I was unhappy with a few challenges myself. Tavernier got himself in a bad position. He then has to tackle, and it’s a wee bit desperate from behind.
“Whether it’s a free-kick or not, I’ve not seen it again, but my first thought was it was a foul.
“If they are unhappy it’s maybe because they have seen it again, and maybe he did touch the ball.
“But he was in a poor position to start with.
“When you go to ground, like Jonny Hayes did at their penalty when he brought Wallace down, you are playing with fire.
“We still had to produce the goal. And there were a lot of challenges I wasn’t too pleased with that we didn’t get.
“I can understand they are more upset, because it’s been compounded with a winning goal.”
McInnes has urged Dons fans to enjoy watching goal hero Maddison while he’s at Pittodrie.
McInnes added: “We said when we signed James that he brings something different.
“We didn’t start him in this game because he’s still only 19, and this would have been his third game in a week.
“But we thought he’d have a part to play in the game, and his goal was terrific.”