Rangers icon blasts referee Bobby Madden for not disallowing Celtic opener in Old Firm derby

Last night’s Old Firm derby was one to remember for Celtic supporters and one to quickly forget for Rangers fans as the Hoops ran riot in a dominant first half which saw them lead 3-0.

Their latest Japanese superstar, Reo Hatate, netted twice while Liel Abada added a third just before the break.

Gers’ boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst rang the changes with three half time substitutes but couldn’t find a way back into the match as Ange Postecoglou’s side picked up three points to sent them top of the Cinch Premiership.

However, there was some controversy over the first of Hatate’s goals, which came in the fifth minute of the match.

A corner was delivered by the home side which saw Rangers’ Calvin Bassey collide with teammate Joe Aribo when attempting to clear the ball.

The clearance only went as far as Hatate who sent it across the face of Allan McGregor and in from the edge of the box with a brilliantly composed finish.

The Rangers players were unhappy with referee Bobby Madden as Bassey was still down inside the area after taking a head knock.

At half time, in the Sky Sports studio, former Rangers forward Kris Boyd was part of the punditry team alongside ex-Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov and Scotland legend James McFadden.

Although willing to admit that Celtic were well worth their three goal lead, and that Rangers had been well below expected standards, the 38-year old was not happy with the officials.

He said: "It should have been stopped.

"I'm not just saying that, and Celtic have been by far the better team, there is no complaints about that, but that should be stopped.

"I think if you see right at the end there Bobby Madden goes to put the whistle to his mouth then stops.

"For me it's a head knock in the box and had to be stopped.

"But Rangers have been abysmal in the first half. It's 3-0 but it could have been five or six."

After the match, Gers’ boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst was less quick to criticise the officiating, saying that it is up to his players to play to the whistle.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “It’s the decision for the referee to stop the game.

“We still had the corner to defend, the ball goes out and you have to defend the ball - you don’t stop if the ref doesn’t whistle. That’s unbelievable to see.”

It has not been a good week for the Dutchman and Rangers who also conceded a stoppage time equalise in last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Ross County in Dingwall.

That result, combined with Celtic managing to carve out a 1-0 win over Dundee United, saw the Ibrox side’s lead at the top of the table cut to just two points.

Last night’s derby win now means that Celtic one point ahead of their rivals at the top of the table going into the next round of fixtures.

Both sides are in for tough afternoon’s as Celtic make the trip to Fir Park to face Motherwell in the early kick off on Sunday (13:30) before Rangers welcome Hearts to Ibrox just after (16:30).