Chris Burke insists Rangers team-mate Nacho Novo is not a dirty player following his dismissal in Sunday's Scottish Cup win over Hibernian.Substitute Novo had an unwanted impact on the fifth-round replay when he saw red after just 12 minutes on the park for an X-rated tackle on Thierry Gathuessi.

Burke - who bagged the only goal of the game to set up a quarter-final meeting with Partick Thistle - confessed he had yet to see the incident again on television but knows Novo well enough to know there was no malice in the challenge.

The striker now misses Sunday's CIS Insurance Cup final against Dundee United at Hampden and Burke said: "He will be down. As a player, you don't want to miss important games like that.

"He is devastated by what has happened. He hasn't been sent off that many times and I don't think he is that type of player.

"If it was a bad challenge, I'm sure he won't be doing another one like that again. He will be on the park more than he's off it."

The incident sparked a technical area bust-up between bosses Walter Smith and Mixu Paatelainen, with Smith eventually sent to the stand to cool off.

Smith claimed afterwards that the Hibs bench had spent the entire game calling for the referee to take action against Rangers players, while Paatelainen insisted he was simply trying to prevent Gathuessi from reacting to the challenge and picking up a red card of his own.

"I was at the other side of the park and I just saw the two managers arguing," laughed Burke.

"It just shows the two managers' characters. They want to win, as well as the players. There were two teams going out for the win."

The original fifth-round tie ended in a goalless draw at Easter Road and Burke paid tribute to Hibs for proving to be tough opponents once again.

He said: "It was a typical cup match and all credit to Hibs, they came out for the win. Fortunately for us we won the game.

"It was a bit tricky for us at the end with Nacho getting sent off. They were throwing bodies into the box and, thankfully for us, we are through to the next round."

Hibs now turn their focus to the SPL and their quest for a third-place finish.

That coveted spot is currently occupied by Motherwell, who boast a five-point advantage and a game in hand over Hibs.

Skipper Rob Jones said: "There are still 10 games to go this season and we have to look forward. Yes, it's a big game on Wednesday and we know that. But it's not a make-or-break game."

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