The wing-back was involved in a controversial flashpoint that saw St Mirren punished last weekend

Former SFA referee Steve Conroy reckons Rangers star James Penrice had "practiced" his tumble in the box against St Mirren.

The Light Blues were awarded a spot kick by referee Nick Walsh when wing-back Penrice went down under pressure from Buddies defender Samuel Ramos.

Whistler Walsh was backed up by Greg Aitken in the VAR room and Ryan Naderi stepped up to break the deadlock - with Derek McInnes' men going on to secure a 2-0 win and move within a point of Premiership leaders Celtic.

But Conroy was unimpressed by the decision - and the response from the Scotland call up as he went to ground. He told The Ref's View podcast: “If that level of contact - everything is a sliding scale. You go from absolutely [a penalty] to minimal contact.

"I have a doubt that it is even a fraction of minimal contact. His toenail must have hit the side of his foot. If that level of force is enough to put a fit, healthy professional athlete down then he needs checked out.

"That was an appalling overreaction. If something is hurt, the last thing you want to do is move it. The minute someone rolls around like that you know they are at it. I am not going to use the cheat word because there was that featherlight touch on his foot. But if that is a level of contact that is acceptable now, you can’t tackle in the box.

“See that reaction from Penrice, that reaction to the featherlight touch, that reaction has to be practiced. That is not a normal reaction to that level of touch, that is practiced.”

Former whistler Bobby Madden also reckons that it was the wrong call by the match officials - but reckons it was "difficult" for Aitken and the VAR team to step in due to the contact appearing in the slowed-down images.

Speaking on the So Near, Yet So VAR podcast, Madden said: “I don’t think it is enough contact. If you look at it from the referee’s perspective, he is very well placed and he will see Penrice take the touch away from goal.

“He will then see the defender coming in and trying to play the ball, not playing the ball and making contact.

“Again, hyper-focused on this contact, probably not recognising that the reaction from Penrice did not merit the contact he received, and he has awarded a penalty kick very confidently.

“It is very difficult for VAR to intervene because they will look at it and see this contact. That’s not enough for a penalty kick. It’s not enough for that reaction and not enough for a penalty kick.”