'Red flags' in Rangers performance as Michael Beale has say on Willie Collum's controversial red card calls

Rangers manager Michael Beale confessed to seeing “red flags” in the ninth win of his unbeaten 10-game tenure as he backed the contentious red card calls from Willie Collum that favoured his side in their 2-0 home success over St Johnstone.

The Englishman could have elected to brush over another patchy display owing to his men ultimately racking up a straightforward victory ahead of their midweek trip to face Hearts in the capital. But, on a day when new signing Todd Cantwell made his debut and Ianis Hagi appeared late on following a year sidelined with injury, he chose not to do so.

“I was pleased with the amount of chances we created but not so much with our last pass or shot,” said the Rangers manager. On an afternoon he was pleased with the freedom shown by a Cantwell who he expects to play with the licence afforded Ryan Kent, while acknowledging Hagi was “nowhere near ready to start” games. “If these chances go in, everyone says the performance is fantastic. But I thought, whether they go in or not, there were enough red flags to tell me I’ve got a lot of work to do. I was expecting that. I’d like us to be more ruthless in the final third.”

Beale did not expect any different judgements from Collum, meanwhile, over Nicky Clark’s coming-together clash with Ryan Jack that resulted in the Perth striker being dismissed late in the first half. A matter of minutes before before a straight-legged, full force catching of Adam Montgomery on the ankle by the Scotland midfielder was only deemed a caution by the referee – even after he was asked to consult his VAR pitchside monitor by Nick Walsh, manning the system.

Rangers manager Michael Beale with St Johnstone counterpart Callum Davidson. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

“Nicky didn’t mean to hurt Ryan, there’s no malice in it,” the Rangers manager said. “At the last minute he actually tried to pull back. But he does catch him quite high on his shin - Ryan has the gash to show it. He’ll possibly be a doubt for Wednesday so he has caught him. The VAR official has spoken to Willie and decided to send him off. He hasn’t meant to do it but he’s caught him. Ryan’s tackle on Montgomery is completely different. It’s low and he’s caught him on the ankle. It’s a yellow card anywhere on the park. We shouldn’t put the two of them together and make a lot of drama about it. There’s no way that Ryan Jack’s tackle is a red card, no way.”