MARK WARBURTON reckons Rangers were denied a ‘nailed on’ penalty during Saturday’s Scottish Cup success over Motherwell.

Forward Michael O’Halloran appealed for a spot-kick after a coming together with Steven Hammell in the first half but referee Craig Thomson waved away the claim.

Rangers went on to win 2-1 as Kenny Miller’s double cancelled out a Louis Moult header to send Warburton’s side through to the fifth round.

But the Light Blues boss was frustrated that the Gers weren’t given a chance to open the scoring from 12 yards as O’Halloran saw his protests fall on deaf ears.

Warburton said: “I thought immediately it was a nailed on penalty, why would Michael go down? He has worked hard, had good feet in a tight area and made half a yard so if he has dived then book him.

“That is the obvious one for me, if one of my players dives then book him, absolutely but for us it was nailed on.

“Heads don’t go down but heads get frustrated because it changes the game and when a team are 1-0 down to Rangers at Ibrox then they have to come out a little bit.

“Then the defensive stranglehold, so to speak, changes and we can open up a little bit ourselves and play the football we want to play.

“It is a frustration that the right decision wasn’t made in our opinion.”

Rangers were far from their best as they struggled to break down a resolute Motherwell defence before Miller’s late heroics won the tie.

The Light Blues are targeting Scottish Cup success and second spot in the Premiership in the coming months and will return to league duty this weekend with a trip to Fir Park.

Warburton told RangersTV: “There is never more onus on the silverware, it is not about last silverware.

“Every game you play, every cup you go into you want to go as far as you possibly can.

“Now, after [Saturday], the focus switches to the league next week. Again, we are driving forward every single day, one a time and maximising it the best we can.”