Rangers striker reveals referee Andrew Dallas asked if he dived

Rangers striker Jermain Defoe has revealed that referee Andrew Dallas asked if he dived following the award of a penalty during his side’s win at Ibrox on Saturday.

The hosts defeated St Mirren 4-0 thanks to goals from Defoe, Ryan Kent and a double from James Tavernier.

Tavernier and Defoe’s goals came from the spot after Dallas awarded an astonishing four penalties to the home side throughout the 90 minutes.

Rangers' Jermain Defoe goes down under a challenge and earns his side their second penalty of the afternoon. Picture: SNS

The second award looked the softest with Defoe going to ground under the attentions of Paul McGinn. The striker immediately bounced back up and didn’t claim for a foul, but the referee awarded the foul anyway.

Defoe later said: “I bounced back up. There was a little bit of contact but it’s not like I played for the penalty.

“I didn’t claim. When he gave the penalty, I was a little bit surprised even though there was contact.

“So I said to their players that I didn’t claim for it. Then the ref came up to me and said, ‘Did you say you dived?’

“But I said to him, ‘I’m not going to dive’. I’m one of those who when I see people diving, it’s cheating.

“I think I got the first one, then because it was the second one in the first half it looked like I was playing on it.

“But there was a little contact and you take it.”