MARTIN BOYLE insists his booking for diving against Rangers on Sunday was harsh - because he wasn't even looking to win a penalty at Ibrox.

The striker was shown a yellow card by referee Don Robertson after going down under pressure from defender Connor Goldson as he bore down on goal.

Boyle was defended by Hibernian manager Jack Ross after the 2-1 defeat as he insisted his forward shouldn't develop a reputation for simulation.

And the 27-year-old was left bemused by the punishment he received after an innocuous incident during the first half as a late Kevin Nisbet header ultimately proved in vain for Hibernian.

Boyle said: “I just got bundled over and I wasn't even claiming for the penalty. I went for the ball and I just wasn't strong enough and was brushed aside by the big boys.

“I said to the referee at half-time that I didn't think it was a yellow card because I wasn't wanting a penalty, I was just bundled over because I wasn't strong enough.

“When I spoke to him at half-time he said he thought I was playing for it. But I was just going for the ball and it was one of those which then put me at risk for the rest of the game.

“I was a bit disappointed. There was nothing in it and I was just pushed off the ball.

“The referee said I put my foot over him to try to get the ball and that is what I need to do. I did that at Ross County and I won the penalty.

“I haven't seen this one back but, as I said, I didn't feel there was enough for it to be a penalty but it wasn't a dive.

“A lot of people are commenting on me at the moment but the way I move sometimes it is easy to be brushed off the ball.”

Boyle was at the centre of a diving storm last month as he attracted the ire of Ross County manager John Hughes following their Premiership clash in Dingwall.

Hughes claimed the forward had 'conned' referee John Beaton on the day and stated 'the last time I saw a dive like that the boy had Speedos on' as he criticised Boyle for going down under a challenge from Alex Iacovitti.

But Boyle has defended himself following the criticism from Hughes and insisted Beaton was right to award a spot-kick as Hibernian went on to beat County 2-1 thanks to a Nisbet winner.

Boyle said: “I felt those comments were a bit bizarre at the time and I haven’t commented on them before now but that one up there was a clear penalty and the second one there was all about the way I'm moving and the fact there was slight contact and if you feel contact, that’s it.

“But I am being shown stats that say I am the most fouled player in the league and in some games I get taken out 10-12 times and I could get multiple people booked but no-one speaks about that.

“I get some unbelievable tackles on me and nothing is said about that and I am the sort of guy who just brushes it aside and gets up and gets on with my game and continues to try to get on the ball as often as I can.”

The defeat to Rangers on Sunday leaves Hibernian four points clear of Aberdeen in the race to be best of the rest outside of the Old Firm in the Premiership this term.

But it is the Scottish Cup clash with Stranraer that takes precedence for Ross and his players this weekend as they look to move a step closer to another Hampden outing.

Boyle said: “We have been playing well and after this one we will go back to the drawing board and focus on the Scottish Cup, which will be a tricky tie for us.

“After that we have four massive league games and we are looking forward to them. We are in good form and we can’t wait. But if we want to finish third then we have to earn that right.”