Rangers striker Steve Naismith is of firm belief he did not try to stretch the rules when he went over in the box on Sunday.

Naismith was sent off for a second yellow card when referee Calum Murray pulled him up for diving in the 2-2 Scottish Cup fifth round draw with Celtic at Ibrox but he insists that he did not simulate in order to win a penalty.

"People have been saying I dived or that I was trying to con the ref but it wasn't anything to do with that. I was sprinting from inside my own half. I'd built up a lot of speed," he said.

"As I ran on Mark Wilson made a challenge which I felt was a foul.

"I did my best to ride the tackle and managed to stay on my feet still at speed. But because of the challenge I was still a bit off balance.

"I tried to keep going and saw Charlie Mulgrew coming straight at me. The natural reaction was to get out of the way. I was just trying to anticipate what was coming.

"I wasn't claiming for a penalty but I did feel hard done by that it wasn't pulled back for the first foul.

"I've always been a player who gives his all and I don't look to cheat. I'm not a diver."