Peter Houston: SFA takes action over Falkirk TV comments

Peter Houston heads up the tunnel at Ibrox after the 3-1 defeat

Falkirk manager Peter Houston has been given a Scottish Football Association notice of complaint for comments made on Falkirk TV after Saturday's defeat by Rangers.

Houston has a week to respond to the complaint made over criticism of John McKendrick's awarding of the free-kick from which Rangers went 2-1 up.

Bairns coach Alan Maybury has accepted a one-match ban for "misconduct".

He was charged with using bad language towards the referee in the same game.

With the score at 1-1 in the 81st minute, McKendrick penalised midfielder Tom Taiwo for a challenge on Rangers' Nicky Law. Defender James Tavernier scored direct from the set-piece before Lee Wallace made it 3-1 in the second minute of injury time.

After the match, Houston told BBC Scotland: "The Falkirk player won the ball and the momentum of the Rangers player saw him jump into the Falkirk player, which meant it should have been a free-kick to Falkirk.

"The Falkirk team were let down by the officials."

But it is an interview given to his club's own TV channel that has led to the SFA action.

SFA compliance officer Tony McGlennan claims Houston's comments suggested "bias and incompetence" on the part of the match officials and "impinged upon their character".

Houston can challenge the claim at a principal hearing on Thursday, 29 October.