This is the moment Michael Beale allowed Partick Thistle a free hit leveller at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup.
Malik Tillman had fired Rangers ahead in controversial circumstances in a moment that left the visitors furious and sparked some wild scenes. Thistle planned to kick the ball back to the hosts but the USA international nipped in and raced through on goal before putting the ball into the net and putting the holders 2-1 up in the tie.
It was a moment of real controversy with the referee awarding the goal. But Ibrox boss Beale intervened and ordered his side to allow the Scottish Championship side to race through from kick-off unchallenged and level the scoring in quite incredible scenes. It was a game that had a bit of everything and this was another one of those big moments. VAR had a big part to play in this game with the Jags awarded a penalty in the first period in what the pundits branded a 'mind boggling' decision while Rangers got one of their own in the second half but James Tavernier was denied by Jamie Sneddon.
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The holders booked their spot in the quarter-final draw with five minutes to play after a Conor McAvoy own goal as they came out on top on a five-goal thriller once again under Beale. Antonio Colak grabbed Rangers' other goal in the Ibrox cracker.
On the incident Tavernier said: "I think Malik [Tillman] didn't really know what was happening and responded to the throw-in.
"We are high in standards as Rangers Football Club and it was only the right thing to do to let them score a goal. It was about carrying on after that and trying to get through to the next round which we did."
Speaking on Viaplay Sport, boss Beale added: "Listen there was a massive misunderstanding. Malik gets injured and the ball goes out of play. He didn’t see it’s been kicked out. When he stands up he thinks he has to go press because it’s the instruction he’s usually given, he’s not seen that Thistle are going to kick it back.
"We scored off it and it’s controversial but this club is built on high standards and we want the best for the game. I didn’t think it was right and just to win a game of football like that.
"Not at home, not against Partick Thistle. I made a lot of mistakes today in terms of team selections but that wasn’t one of them. That was the right one for football and to uphold the standards of this football club.
"If you watch it back it was a big misunderstanding where Malik has got fouled, he doesn’t see what’s happened. He looks around and puts his arm up and goes and presses the ball. He’s unawares and I don’t want it hanging around his head which would be unfair to him and I don’t want to win the game that way.
"The players understood it was a misunderstanding. They spoke about it on the pitch. I had to confer with my bench to make sure what I saw was correct and I think it was the right thing to do. It’s never easy that but it’s a better place for us making that decision.
"It would have been unjust for us to win the game in that way. I’ve never been involved like that before. Not everyone is going to agree but when everyone watches it back and see Malik goes down unawares, that’s what caused it. It’s unfortunate and I’d rather it didn’t happen but we dealt with it in the right way."
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