ALLOA defender Dougie Hill has accused Hibs striker Farid El Alagui of deliberately diving in Saturday’s 1-0 victory for the Leith side which has taken them level with Rangers at the top of the Championship.

Hill had been booked for a trip on Jason Cummings when he was cautioned again and shown a red card for challenging the French-Moroccan, who is easing his way back after 15 difficult months since rupturing his Achilles.

It means the former Raith Rovers defender is banned for the massively important league clash with Dumbarton on December 5 because there is no right of appeal.

However, contrastingly, as a lifelong Hibs supporter Hill firmly hopes that El Alagui will be celebrating a title triumph at the end of the season.

However, he fears that the financial muscle of Rangers coupled with expected suitors for prize asset Jason Cummings in January could swing things in the Ibrox club’s favour.

The Alloa defender said: “The referee has got to show some common sense but what makes it worse there was no contact.

“I do go to tackle him but I pull out before I’m anywhere near him. Then Farid has thrown himself on the ground which he is known to do.

“I probably should be more streetwise but Farid has a responsibility to play the game properly and the referee has to also run the game sensibly.

“It’s going to put me out of the league game against Dumbarton in two weeks’ time and that’s a massive game for us.

“And what makes it worse is that we can’t appeal it because it was a second yellow.”

Hibs’ victory at the Indodrill drew them level with Rangers when they were eight points behind just three weeks ago.

And with Rangers facing St Mirren in the Petrofac Cup semi-final on Saturday they can pull three points clear by winning away to Morton, albeit having played two games more than their rivals.

The 30-year-old defender would love them to prevail but he worries that Rangers will spend in January and Hibs may be forced to sell.

He said: “I hope they can go on and win it now because I’m a Hibee. I would be delighted if they did it.

“But Rangers just have deeper pockets and that’s what it will come down to at the end of the day.

“Equally, can Hibs hold onto Cummings? He’s firing them in and I hope they can keep him.

“There are not many strikers in this league that will score 15-20 goals.

“He is a must-keep as far as I’m concerned.

“I don’t think there is much between the two teams. When we play either of them it’s usually a doing so we were happy we got away with 1-0 on Saturday.

“The two of them – and Falkirk to a lesser degree – are miles ahead of anyone else in this league.

“I think it might go to the last two or three games, because it is that tight.”