adminGLASGOW. — Rangers “won in the right way” after allowing Partick Thistle to equalise in a tumultuous Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox, said manager Michael Beale.
Thistle levelled unopposed through Scott Tiffoney when the visitors complained Malik Tillman had been unsportsmanlike when making it 2-1.
The midfielder had intercepted the ball as the Championship side intended to surrender possession from a throw-in.
“It was a big misunderstanding, the whole thing,” said Beale.
“Malik gets injured. We play the ball out. Malik’s on the floor, he’s unaware that we’ve played the ball out so when he gets up, he just thinks it’s a throw-in to Partick Thistle.
‘‘He presses innocently and then he’s through on goal and he goes and finishes the move.
“I don’t want us to win a football game on a misunderstanding and it was a misunderstanding. It would’ve been the wrong thing to do. I’ve got high standards but the club I work for has got high standards as well and as Rangers Football Club, we’re in a better place tonight that we did that. It’s not an easy thing to do, trust me. We won the game, we won the game in the right way.”
Partick Thistle boss Ian McCall commented: “I don’t think Malik Tillman knew what he was doing. I think he got mixed up and put it in the net.
“Michael Beale showed an awful lot of class, so did James Tavernier to do what they did. It was the right to do so there’s no blame on anybody, not even the ref. I’ve been involved in the game since 1981 — I’ve never seen it before.”
Antonio Colak and James Sands also scored for Rangers, who came from behind to book their place in Monday’s quarter-final draw with Ayr United, Celtic, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Raith Rovers and Darvel or Falkirk.
The hosts had a nervous moment early on when Tillman tussled with Holt on the very edge of the Rangers penalty area but referee David Munro offered the 2,500-strong travelling Thistle support no encouragement.
The visitors held their own with a disciplined defensive approach and a determination not to allow their hosts time and space.
Kyle Turner won and took a free-kick that tested Allan McGregor — and the goalkeeper was forced into an even better stop to deny Tiffoney moments later. — BBC Sport.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter