DERMOT GALLAGHER has backed referee Don Robertson's decision NOT to send off Juninho Bacunha after his flare-up with Stephen Kingsley.

The Rangers star was involved in a flashpoint with Kingsley on the sideline where the midfielder appeared to grab his opponent by the throat.

Furious Hearts boss Robbie Neilson insisted Bacuna should have been sent off and was himself sent to the stands after his reaction to the incident.

Both Bacuna and Kingsley were booked, and former Premier League ref Gallagher reckons it was the right call.

Discussing the incident on Sky Sports Ref Watch, he said: "It's difficult because both players are aggressive towards each other and I would suggest in an incident like that both players have to be treated the same.

"I think the referee's found the right balance there because both players are so close and it's more an aggressive action than a violent action.

"So I think the referee dealt with it pretty well."

Kingsley defended his actions in squaring up to Bacuna in the incident but revealed it was purely emotion and was forgotten about at full-time when the players shook hands.

“It was just in the heat of the moment", revealed Kingsley. "The ball was going out of play and he knew it was going out of play and he has taken the touch away. So I was trying to get the ball back.

“It was just emotion, one of those things. I was surprised when it happened at first, but I just got on with it. You get on with it and I was just so happy that soon after that we managed to get an equaliser.”