Football is a man's game, Rangers' Boyd tells Hibs' Zemmama

KRIS BOYD has hit back at Hibs star Merouane Zemmama over the incident that led to the Moroccan claiming he'd been deliberately elbowed in the face during Sunday's match at Ibrox.

Boyd, who was shown a yellow card after catching Zemmama with his elbow in the first half of the game, insists the clash was accidental.

"These things happen in football," said the Rangers striker. "It's a man's game and you get on with it. I know I caught Zemmama but it wasn't as though I set out to hurt him. I'm just not that kind of player.

"Fact is, if I mumped and moaned every time I got hit I'd never be out the papers."

Zemmama said afterwards: "He hit me with his elbow in the face. The fans thought I was cheating, but he caught me. The referee was right to book him.

"In Scotland it's a yellow card, but in other countries it would have been red.

"The referee gave it for obstruction which surprised me because Boyd didn't go for the ball, only for my face and body. It was a bad challenge."

However, Boyd is adamant that he didn't he didn't try to hurt Zemmama deliberately.

He added: "I'm sure in future I will get caught with something similar, it happens. I didn't mean to touch him.

"Maybe he is just disappointed by the result and looking for any excuse to deflect from that fact."