Wilkie: Cousin's a nutter; RACE FOR THE SPL CROWN.

Byline: By IAIN CAMPBELL 

LEE WILKIE last night accused Daniel Cousin of head-butting him in Saturday's controversial Ibrox clash.

Dundee United have sent a protest to the SFA over referee Mike McCurry's handling of a clash where they were denied a clear-cut penalty and a goal TV proved was totally legitimate.

The match official was the target of a furious outburst from United manager Craig Levein who claimed his side need not have travelled because the official was so hell-bent on Rangers picking up all three points, which they did after a 3-1 win.

Levein also accused the officials of failing to protect his players and claimed that as well as Cousin's head-butt, Kirk Broadfoot punched Noel Hunt.

Wilkie claimed: "We got into a bit of a tangle, then he stuck the head on us. That was it.

"Luckily I'm about five inches bigger than him or I would have got it on the face.

"There's no doubt about it, he stuck the head on me. I went across to him, had a word and got booked for it.

"I said to the referee: 'If you had the head stuck on you, you wouldn't stand still and accept it.

"So he got a booking and I got a booking. It just summed up the day really."

Broadfoot denied the claim that he had deliberately punched United striker Hunt, insisting the Irishman kicked him in the face last season. He said: "What was Craig Levein watching us do during the game instead of watching the ball?

"Noel Hunt's run into me. I've not touched him, he's run into my shoulder. Has he burst his lipor something?

"Things like that happen. I don't know why Craig Levein's said that. He said that last year up there when Noel Hunt kicked me in the face. I must have done something to provoke him but I don't know why he's saying that."