Rangers boss Michael Beale explains letting Partick Thistle score goal

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James Tavernier had just missed a spot-kick for Rangers before the controversial goal involving Tillman. Rangers had knocked the ball out of play after the 20-year-old went down with a knock.

When play restarted, Thistle’s Kevin Holt was caught by surprise as Tillman stole the ball away from him, racing in on goal to tap into the net. Thistle players were furious and Tillman was immediately surrounded and bumped to the ground as they disputed unsportsmanlike conduct.

Beale was seen remonstrating with his bench in the immediate aftermath before instructing his players to allow Thistle through to score an equaliser. And the Rangers boss has now jumped to the defence of Tillman, insisting the striker was unaware of the whole situation at the time.

“If you watch the whole thing back, obviously I am watching it,” Beale said. “Malik gets injured and we play the ball out, Malik is down on the floor and he doesn’t see that we have played the ball out.

“So by the time Malik gets up two or three minutes later because it took time, or however long it took, he sees they have a throw-in and he puts his hand up to the referee as if to say how have they got a throw and then he presses as he been taught. He is completely unaware of the situation, of what has happened. I had to speak to my bench to make sure that is what they saw as well.

“Malik came over and I spoke to him and he confirmed it. So it was the right thing to do. I will tell you why it was the right thing to do. Malik Tillman is a fantastic young player and I don’t want that hanging around his head.

“He has never cheated anyone in his life and as a football club we have high standards. We don’t need to do that to beat Partick Thistle at home. It was a complete misunderstanding and not in fitting with the way the game was played and played afterwards. The players all managed to play the game well.

“If you watch the whole scenario back it was a misunderstanding, I am glad that we are through and glad we are not talking about that as the reason we are though.” Rangers did end up grabbing the winner through James Sands to bring an end to an enthralling Scottish Cup tie to book their place in the quarter-finals.

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