WHY SUNDAY’S DISMISSAL WAS THE CORRECT DECISION

Hibernian manager Jack Ross says he understood Nick Walsh’s decision to send Ryan Porteous off at Ibrox on Sunday, while not necessarily agreeing with it.

There was no such equivocation from his Rangers counterpart Steven Gerrard who believed that Porteous could have broken Joe Aribo’s leg had he made full contact with the midfielder with his fullblooded 30th-minute challenge.

Section 12.3 of the Laws of the Game, as set down by the International Football Association Board, backs up Gerrard’s view of the incident.

The section underlines why referee Walsh, pictured left, was correct to reach straight into his top pocket for his red card.

It states: “A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.

“Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”

As Hibs defender Porteous sought to prevent Aribo from breaking clear as he ran on to a sublime pass from Ianis Hagi, he lunged in on the Nigerian international from the side with a leading left leg and went to ground.

While Porteous did make contact with the ball and only minimal contact with Aribo himself, the challenge was made with excessive force and clearly carried potential danger for the safety of the Rangers player.

Walsh had no option but to deem it as serious foul play and dismiss Porteous.