Derek McInnes questions Rangers added time as Kilmarnock boss bemoans 'harsh' red card

Derek McInnes reckons Kilmarnock's 4-1 defeat flattered Rangers - and insists Joe Wright was unlucky to be red-carded.

Killie stunned Ibrox by taking an early lead thanks to a bizarre own goal from James Tavernier before the game flipped on its head when they were reduced to ten men. It was a double whammy for the Ayrshire side as defender Wright was sent off for clearing Dujon Sterling's goal-bound shot off the line with his hand, while Gers were awarded a spotkick following a VAR review.

Captain Tavernier stepped up and missed, but the Light Blues ran out comfortable 4-1 winners in the end as they made their extra man advantage count. McInnes felt Wright's sending off for denying a goalscoring opportunity was 'harsh' while the Rugby Park boss also questioned the eight minutes added on time which led to Fabio Silva scoring an equaliser in the final seconds of the first-half.

He told BBC Scotland: "Nobody likes losing a game of football but I think a lot of things transpired against us. The scoreline was pretty harsh on us. In the early part of the game we showed what we've been doing this season. Vassell and Watkins were doing terrific up there.

"It wasn't as if Rangers were playing through us, it was their directness that was causing us problems. In the penalty decision, we get ourselves in a wee bit of a difficult situation. I think Joe Wright is extremely unlucky to concede a penalty and get a red card. It seems harsh. If that's the rule that's the rule, but I thought it was extremely harsh on us.

"We make the penalty save through Will, and then there's eight minutes of injury time? I know there were two or three VAR checks but I still thought it was quite a lot. We just don't see out that moment. Instead of the fans showing their frustrations here at being 1-0 down at half-time, they get a goal right on the very last second.

"We've got to defend that situation better, that's nothing to do with ten men. We're disappointed with the second goal, just as we were trying to put the changes on. We lose a second goal that we're disappointed with and from there on in, it becomes difficult. I thought 4-1 was harsh on us.

"Ultimately, we're down to ten men, Rangers run out winners and it's difficult to say anything otherwise that they didn't deserve that. But I thought there was a foul on Stuart Findlay in the build-up to one of the goals as well, I'll maybe have to see that back. But listen, there's still lots for us to play for. We'll move on quickly from this. Next Saturday we hope to make it a good day for us because we've had plenty of them this season."