Kevin Clancy told Hibs defender Darren McGregor that Alfredo Morelos didn't intentionally stand on Ryan Porteous and that's why he didn't take action.
The stand-in skipper admitted himself that Morelos didn't indent to hurt Porteous but still felt it could have been a red card after the first half incident.
The whistler had a great view of the collision and McGregor was straight over him to question what was going to happen and clearly felt it should have been a red card.
But the Hibs star was disappointed as Clancy kept his cards in his pocket, before booking McGregor for a similar incident with Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara in the second half.
But he revealed what was said in the debate following the clash.
He told Sky Sports: "I was saying that to the referee, ultimately he’s not stood on Porteous to hurt him but he has stood on him. I seen it with my own eyes, he could easily have stepped over him, so if that constitutes a red card then it’s a red card.
"He said it wasn’t intentional and didn’t mean to put his foot there but we all know the game, and we all know where you can you can put your foot in and he didn’t need to put it into Ryan’s leg."
