GARY Lineker has hit out at the decision to uphold the second yellow card given to Inverness Caley Thistle midfielder James Keatings in the Highlands club's Challenge Cup semi-final win over Rangers Under-21.

Inverness chief executive, Scot Gardiner, and chairman, Ross Morrison, issued a joint statement on behalf of the club last night in which they addressed the Fast Track Tribunal Panel's decision to dismiss their appeal against the yellow card awarded to James Keatings by referee Greg Aitken during Sunday’s Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Cup semi-final.

After providing video evidence from three separate angles, in full speed and slow motion, the Caley Thistle chiefs were sure the panel would reverse the decision and Keatings would be allowed to play in the showpiece final against Raith Rovers, following their 2-1 victory over the Ibrox club's clots side.

However, the three-person panel decided to uphold the original decison, causing shockwaves throughout Scottish football, with Gardiner and Morrison revealing they have received support from fellow chairmen and supporters from across the national game.

And the furore appears to have now spread beyond Scotland, with England, Spurs and Barcelona legend Lineker, who hosts BBC's Match Of The Day programme as well as BT Sport's football coverage, tweeting a video of the incident with the caption: "Not even close to a dive. Would be an injustice to miss a cup final for this."