RYAN’S RED A SORE POINT
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KILMARNOCK hitman Liam Millar took aim at Hibs ace Ryan Porteous and insisted his needless challenge on his groin fully deserved a red card.
Porteous scythed down Millar on the touchline in the closing stages of extratime and was sent off in their Betfred Cup quarter-final clash.
Paul Heckinbottom’s men clinched a semi-final berth against Celtic with a 5-4 win on penalties after the match had ended 0-0.
And speaking of Porteous, the 19 year-old said: “He didn’t have to do that. He hit me in the groin somehow.
“It was sore when he caught me initially but I have recovered and I am feeling fine now.
“Sometimes defenders go in for challenges that they feel they have to make but I don’t think it was necessary.”
The Canadian also felt he was denied a penalty by ref Willie Collum when he was barged over in the box.
He said: “I was brought down in the box as well and that was a penalty.
“I was quick enough to get to the ball and the Hibs player barged me out of the way.
“It is a penalty but sadly I can’t change the ref’s decision.”
Millar was also left gutted as Kilmarnock blew the chance to book a day BY ANTHONY HAGGERTY out at Hampden in November.
He kept his cool to score in the shoot-out but a miss from Niko Hamalainen sent the Hibees through instead.
Millar said: “That was my first experience of a penalty shoot-out in my professional career.
“It was nice to take a penalty and to score and get into that mindset and environment.
“I have World Cup qualifiers with Canada in the future and you never know what is going to happen so that might stand me in good stead.
“You never want to lose a game on penalties but that’s football.
“We hit the post and the bar and had the better chances. We should have put ithe game away.
“Sometimes it is not your night and things aren’t meant to be.
“It is disappointing. It is the worst way to lose a match, on penalties.”
Millar insists Angelo Alessio’s side have recovered superbly from the early-season setback of being knocked out of the Europa League at the first hurdle by Welsh minnows Connah’s Quay.
Killie sit mid-table in the league and he said: “We are getting better every game. We are starting to pass the ball around a lot more and we are gaining in confidence.”
BARRY FERGUSON: PAGES 68 AND 69