MALKY MACKAY admitted he was left frustrated after James Sands escaped a red card.

The Rangers defender was already on a booking when he appeared to pull down Jordy Hiwula as he looked to surge clear on goal.

Ross County players and officials were desperately appealing for a red card but referee Don Robertson waved play on and didn't award a free-kick.

Mackay insists the referee made the wrong decision as he was left gutted over the call which he claimed was "clear as day".

The huge call came as Ross County faced Rangers without Ross Callachan and Jack Baldwin who were ruled out through retrospective red cards during the week.

Speaking on BBC Scotland, Mackay said: "I think I had every right to be (frustrated).

"Your viewers will see it tonight. Jordy rolls him, James Sands puts his arms round him and falls with him and should have been sent off.

"It was a straight red, if it's not a red then I don't know why it's not a second yellow because he had already been booked.

"Rangers go and take him off at half-time and it's kind of clear as day for me, so I'm really disappointed with that.

"These decisions are huge. Aberdeen play Livingston, it's 0-0, Livingston player gets sent off and it ends up 5-0 to Aberdeen.

"I'm not saying that was what was going to happen here, but it changes the concept of the game.

"Last week we got two players retrospectively sent off during the week by the Scottish FA and we lose two players today and then something like that happens in the middle of the game. 

"I just feel it's a huge decision for the referee to not get correct in the game. And I thought it was pretty clear, I don't think there was anybody blocking views.

"It was one-on-one with 40 yards behind them towards the goal - there was nothing blocking anyone's view. It wasn't a lot of people around the area.

"It's one of those things, it's frustrating."

Mackay went on to reveal whistler Robertson had vowed to call him if he was made aware he had got the decision wrong.

But the County boss insists it's all about the decision on the pitch as he lamented the opportunity of playing against ten being dashed as Rangers went on to cruise to a 4-0 win.

He added: "That there today is clear as day. As I say, Rangers taking him off at half-time.

"A situation at the end where the referee at the end is saying to me, 'If I've got it wrong, I'll give you a call'.

"Good enough? I don't really think that comes into it.

"What we needed was the correct decision. He rolls him, he doesn't touch him, Jordy is one-v-one with the goalkeeper after that after 17 minutes and it was nothing each.

"If he pulls him down it's a sending off and they're down to ten men and that changes the dynamics of the game.

"We need big decisions like that to be made correctly."