Macey left frustrated after pyro incident put brakes on momentum
MATT MACEY was told by the police not to pick up the pyrotechnics that brought a halt to proceedings at Easter Road.
And the goalkeeper reckons the stoppage in play thwarted Hibs’ attempts to collect all three points against Rangers.
Referee John Beaton had to temporarily stop the action as stewards cleared two smoke canisters – one blue and one green – from the pitch during the second half of the Premiership clash on Wednesday night.
It was the away support who would ultimately have a reason to celebrate as Kemar Roofe beat Macey with a late penalty to clinch a hard-fought win for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.
Hibernian were always in a competitive affair until that crucial moment and the Leith keeper was frustrated they couldn’t build on a promising start to the second half.
“Yeah, it is what it is,” Macey said in reference to the pyrotechnics incident. “I am sort of newish to Scottish football but it seems a bit more common up here. That’s just one of the things you have to deal with.
“I was keen to pick one up because at the time I felt we had a lot of momentum and I was keen to keep going.
“But obviously the police in the corner were telling me not to do it so I didn’t really know what was going on.
“It was disappointing because I think we really looking to kick on at that point. That’s the way it goes sometimes.
“I wouldn’t say it’s an is
sue, when I say it’s a bit more common up here I mean the fans are that little bit more passionate.
“So you have to deal with the noise and everything that goes with it. That’s something I haven’t experienced as much down south.
“But for me it’s a good thing, and I’m sure goalkeepers would say they’d rather play somewhere like this than a half empty stadium somewhere else.”
The home crowd would head for the exits disappointed as Jack Ross and his players were left with nothing to show for their efforts against the champions.
There was little to separate the sides during a tight contest but Roofe’s spot-kick would prove decisive after Ryan Porteous was penalised for a rash challenge on Ryan Kent.
Macey said: “I thought we played really well.
“I felt comfortable, I didn’t think we were going to concede, they were only really having shots from distance.
“So the ultimate feeling is one of disappointment at the way it finished.
“I think we were worth at least a point, definitely. I think anyone could see that watching the game.
“The thing I noticed was we played the game a lot in their half, which shows how much we were on the front foot, how much we dominated, and how we were aggressive in our press. So yeah, it’s just disappointing.
“I don’t know what happened at the penalty, I haven’t spoken to Ryan and there were bodies in front of me, so I didn’t see it.”
It was to prove a frustrating night all round for Ross as Hibernian failed to recapture the performance levels that saw them beat Rangers at Hampden ten days previously.
His side remain sixth in the cinch Premiership standings but Macey believes there are reasons to be optimistic after going head-to-head with the league leaders.
Macey said: “I think we have proven we can go and match these good teams regularly, and that’s the key, performing regularly against them.
“Since I have been at the club I don’t feel we have had the results against them our performances have deserved.
“But that’s what we want to be as a club and a team, they know it’s a big game and a tough game when they play against us, definitely.”