No hard feelings for Darian after card row with Walker
HAMILTON’S Darian MacKinnon may not be renowned for his diplomacy, and anyone who witnessed him screaming in the face of Hearts attacker Jamie Walker during Saturday’s defeat at the Superseal Stadium may be surprised by his post-match musings.
Because for all that the Accies enforcer was justifiably irked by the theatric antics of Walker as Hearts tried to tempt referee Bobby Madden into carding him, MacKinnon’s anger was saved for Hamilton’s shocking start to the match.
Accies were two-nil down to an early goal from Ross Callachan and a penalty from Kyle Lafferty before belatedly coming to life and grabbing a lifeline through Rakish Bingham.
Frantic pressure followed for the best part of an hour, but there was no way through a stubborn Hearts rearguard, perhaps exacerbating MacKinnon’s on-field frustration at Walker’s antics.
“I was disappointed, but I don’t want to get into an argu- ment with him,” said MacKinnon. “He’s admitted that he dived, and says that he was just trying to protect himself.
“I haven’t touched him, and Bobby has seen it was a dive, but I don’t want anyone booked for that.
“He’s a good player and a good kid, and best of luck to him for the rest of the season.
“Every team tries to get me booked, that’s just what I expect now. I think it’s my haircut as well, I would try to get me booked to be honest with you.
“I think it’s just the way I play, I don’t think I’m a dirty player and I haven’t had many bookings this season. I can be a bit crazy sometimes, but I don’t ever deliberately try to hurt anybody.
“I love getting in about it and I love trying to get the ball and give it to wee Ali (Crawford) . I love every side of the game.
“I went over and shook Jamie’s hand at the end. It’s not the end of the world, it’s a game of football and I’m not going to fall out with anyone.
“He’s probably thought I’ve went in to do him and he’s tried to protect himself. But he’s a great player and a good kid, and as I said, I wish him all the best.”
MacKinnon thought that Accies merited something from a game that they came to dominate without really creating enough clear-cut opportunities.
Equally, thought he admitted that they can’t complain too much after their shocking start.
In the end, they took nothing but some harsh lessons from the encounter.
He added: “You can’t give a good side like that two goals of a start and expect to get a point, because it was a rubbish start from us and the only thing that was good was the response after it.”