Source: Team_Talk
Smith aggrieved at disallowed goal
Nacho Novo rescued a point for the visitors at Easter Road but claimed he had the ball over the line earlier in the game to cancel out Derek Riordan's opener.
The effort was disallowed by referee Eddie Smith and his assistant Martin Cryans, to the fury of the Ibrox side.
And, having watched the incident again on television, Smith claimed the goal should have been allowed to stand.
He said: "I would have given a goal - but I'm biased. I feel that the full-back has had to put his foot right around the ball to get there, that's the way it looks to me."
Asked whether his players felt aggrieved at the decision afterwards, Smith replied: "Naturally."
There was further confusion when Cryans appeared to put his flag down and head towards the halfway line.
Smith said: "I asked him about that and he said he was trying to keep up with play. You can try to work that one out for yourself because I can't."
When it was put to Smith that Hibs boss Mixu Paatelainen was adamant the ball had not crossed the line, the Gers boss said: "He's going to say that isn't he?
"If you're pro-Rangers you will say it was over and if you're anti-Rangers you will say it didn't go over.
"But the only people who matter are the referee and the linesman and they didn't think it was over. End of story."
However, Paatelainen was convinced the officials called it correctly.
"The ball wasn't over the line," he said.
"Ross Chisholm said straight away that the ball wasn't over. I saw it on TV and the full ball wasn't over - almost, but the full ball wasn't over.
"The linesman was in the correct position so full credit to him."
Hibs play host to Celtic on Sunday and could yet have a further say in who triumphs in the title race.
But he insisted: "I don't care who wins it. My only is interest is Hibs and doing as well as we can in our last two games."
Goal difference is all that separates the Old Firm rivals at the summit of the SPL, as Rangers prepare to face Aberdeen at Ibrox on Saturday.
The pressure will be on to win the match by a hefty margin with Celtic two goals better off but Smith said: "You can only go and try to win a match, that's all you can do.
"Everyone will talk about goal difference now. Celtic have to come here and win on Sunday and we have to win a match against Aberdeen and that's what we will try to do."
