Scottish Cup semis
PARTICK THISTLE OR HEARTS v INVERNESS CT
CRAIG LEVEIN reckons Hearts blew a chance to reach their first Scottish Cup semi-final in seven years after being held to a draw by Championship strugglers Partick Thistle.
The Jambos boss also insisted his men should have had a
stonewall penalty after Gary Harkins fouled Jambos striker Uche Ikpeazu in the box in the 77th minute but referee Bobby Madden waved play on.
And he reiterated his stance that Ikpeazu gets a raw deal from officials because he is stronger than his opponents.
But Levein refused to discuss the semi-final draw that paired the winner of next Tuesday night’s replay at Tynecastle with Inverness.
He said: “We did enough to win in the first half and didn’t get that gap with the second goal which would have been game over.
“Credit to Partick, they kept plugging away and caught us on a counter which was annoying, we’re usually good at dealing with that.
“Their goal was from probably their first shot on target.
“But our intention was to come out of the game still in the draw and we still are in the draw.
“We’ve got a game back at Tynecastle which I feel confident about so it’s not a bad situation for us.
“I really feel sorry for Uche. Just because he’s stronger people shouldn’t be allowed to foul him. I don’t care what way you go down, if you get fouled it’s a penalty.
“I don’t want to start telling him to go down.
“He’s a strong boy and if he’s stronger it’s not a foul.
“There’s nobody else in Scotland like him so he’s different and he gets penalised for being stronger.
“I feel for him – he gives me everything you look for as a manager every week and doesn’t get an even break.”