McDonald savagely slid in on David van Zanten which left the player in agony on the ground with an open gash to his leg and his sock ripped open.

McDonald was lucky to escape with a booking for the clash and Celtic went on to win 4-2.

Now the stocky little Aussie has apologised for the XXX-tackle - and insisted it was not deliberate.

He told Scotland's Daily Record: "Sometimes strikers have to hold up their hands and admit they are not the best tacklers in the world - and this is one of these occasions.

"It was a badly-timed tackle on my part and it wasn't helped by the conditions but I want to make clear there was no malice on my part.

"I would never attempt to hurt a fellow professional and anyone who knows me knows that to be true.

"As soon as we made contact I knew it was a bad one and you could tell by my reaction.

"I was just delighted to see him get back up on his feet and back on to the park. The first thing I did was apologise to him."

He added: "I don't think he was in much of a mood to accept my apology at the time and I can't say I blame him. I would have probably been the same.

"But I was sorry and I'm happy there was no damage."

Hibs striker Colin Nish believes McDonald should have been sent off, but admitted McDonald was not normally a dirty player.

"It's not like him, to be fair, but David's got a massive cut on his leg," Nish told the Record.

"He got a fright and we've seen it on the telly and he went for the ball. I'm not sure if he meant it or not."

He added: "Scott McDonald thought he was getting sent off too you could see his reaction.

"It's not that I want the boy sent off - it's not that I don't like him - but if it was me I'd have been sent off."