Former Rangers boss Stuart McCall has sympathy for midfielder Andy Halliday after he was sent off against Morton

Now former Ibrox boss Stuart McCall hopes Andy Halliday’s bizarre red card against Morton on Monday doesn't come back to haunt the Light Blues against Falkirk this weekend.

The midfielder was sent off just seconds after Barrie McKay had put the Gers 2-0 up at Cappielow and clinched a crucial three points as Mark Warburton’s side moved five clear of Hibernian in the title race.

Referee Barry Cook and linesman David McNiff penalised Halliday for an ‘offensive gesture’ as he celebrated McKay’s 70th minute strike and the decision left boss Warburton ‘bemused’ and ‘frustrated’ after a deserved win for his side.

Unlike when Halliday saw his red card against Hibernian last month overturned on appeal, there is no avenue open to Rangers this time around and he will be forced to serve a one-match ban during Saturday’s visit of third-placed Falkirk.

And McCall has sympathy for the 24-year-old after the verdict that has infuriated fans and left Warburton without one of his key players for a crucial Championship clash.

He told SportTimes: “I think Andy played on the edge, he was fired up for the game and he deserved his first booking.

“He does his ‘gesture’ with the clenched fist and raised arm but he’s not near the Morton fans and it isn’t provocative when you punch the air.

“It was just a clenched fist in celebration of a goal and the relief of a goal because, at that time, Morton were coming on strong. To give him a yellow card and have to give him a red for that was, I thought, the wrong decision.

“I would have understood it if he had went towards the Morton fans but it’s not a provocative gesture to walk up the park with your arm raised and fist clenched in celebration.

“I’ve seen many players score goals and run right up to the away end and down the track and nothing happens. If you go in the crowd or take off your jersey, you get a yellow card.

“But he was standing in the middle of the park and looking over at the opposition fans. You don’t want players provoking fans but that wasn’t provocative.

“If that is the case, it is a sad day when you can’t stand in the middle of the park and do that. It was a wrong call and a bad decision.”

With Halliday now suspended, Warburton faces a selection dilemma head of the Bairns showdown as Rangers bid to keep up their recent momentum in the Championship.

The Gers boss was foiled in his attempts to sign midfielder Toumani Diagouraga from Brentford last week as he clinched a move to Leeds United.

And McCall reckons it will be Spurs kid Dominic Ball who will be given the nod to take up Halliday’s anchor role at the heart of the Light Blues line-up.

He said: “Andy has played well in that area of the park, although it is no secret that Mark is looking to bring a player in to play that role.

“That will allow Andy to push further forward and into one of the other midfield roles.

“Unless they get someone in before Saturday, you could be looking at Dominic Ball going in and playing there.

“He has done it a couple of times this season. I can’t see (Jason) Holt, (Nicky) Law or (Gedion) Zelalem playing that defensive role so Ball, from a physical aspect, is someone who could play that position and do the job in there. It is disappointing for Mark that Andy will miss such a big game.”

Despite having to play the final 20 minutes with 10 men, Rangers held firm to see out the game and secure a deserved win and important three points at Cappielow.

It was a mixed performance from Warburton’s side as they took time to find their rhythm against the Ton but a Kenny Miller strike and McKay’s well taken finish proved more than enough for the Gers on the night.

McCall said: “In the first 20, 25 minutes, they were sloppy in possession and there were a lot of unforced errors.

“Mark said that they weren’t happy at half-time and I don’t think their passing or possession of the ball was what they have been producing of late.

“They scored a good goal and in the second half, as much as Morton made it difficult and had a go, Rangers, even with ten men, carved open some really good opportunities.

“Martyn Waghorn had a chance, Kenny had one, Harry Forrester had one to kill the game off.

“The first half was disappointing but in the second half they showed how they can cut teams open. Going forward, they have got good quality.

“The ratio of chances that they put away might be a slight cause of concern. But the good thing is that they are creating so many opportunities and always look like scoring goals.”