ROSS RAGING – BUT NOT AT RYAN FOR RED
JACK ROSS admitted he was raging at letting Rangers off the hook – but not at Ryan Porteous for his damaging red.
The Hibs gaffer felt the defender was hard done by with the first-half sending-off.
But he confessed ref Nick Walsh was given a decision by the lunge on Joe Aribo.
Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard put the boot into the Hibs ace but Ross will stand by his man.
He said: “As it happened I didn’t even think it was a foul but that was from my view.
“You always have a gut reaction. I then watched it again and from the first couple of angles I had the same opinion.
“But from the angle from behind the goal it doesn’t look great when it’s slowed down.
“What I don’t quite understand is that the match official’s view wasn’t from behind the goals but Ryan gave him a decision to make.
“I don’t necessarily agree with the decision but I can understand why it was given.
“It made it difficult for us. In terms of Ryan, he still has my support.
“He’s been brilliant for me. He’s still young and he’s got to keep learning and improving.
“There are still edges we need to polish up but we stick together as a group here.”
Ross was riled up by having allowed Rangers back into the game when Hibs were leading early on.
He said: “I’m angry at losing the game and because of the manner of the goals we conceded.
“I’m angry at myself as I’ve then had to be angry at the players.
“I don’t want to be because of how well they played in the first half an hour and how much they put into the hour with a man short.
“There were a lot of positives but we need to be a team that comes here and wins.
“The first 30 minutes we were excellent.
“We came here with the belief that we could win the game and we gave a performance in the first half hour that showed that.
“The sending-off is the defining moment in the game.
“Not necessarily because you can’t win it from there but it’s tough. Sixty minutes on that pitch against a good team is difficult.
“I’m angry at the manner of the goals we conceded and I told the players that – because we are a good team and are very close to being a very good team.
“And that’s the last jump we need to take, if you like, to continue this progress.”