ALLAN DISMISSES HOLT’S CLAIM HE IS A ‘CHEAT’ AND ‘DIVER’
SCOTT ALLAN has hit back at Gary Holt for branding him a ‘cheat’ and a ‘diver’, accusing the Livingston boss of ‘clutching at straws’ after his team blew a two-goal lead at Easter Road. Hibs battled back to pinch a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night, with playmaker Allan sparking the comeback by winning a penalty following a challenge by Marvin Bartley. An angry Holt branded the incident ‘a clear case of simulation’, saying: ‘You can use cheating, a dive, or whatever words you’d like to describe what that was.’ But Allan, speaking ahead of this evening’s Betfred Cup semi-final against his former club Celtic at Hampden, brushed aside the Livvy manager’s claims. ‘The comments are poor but it doesn’t hurt me — I’ve been called a lot worse over the years,’ he said. ‘I’m here to do a job for Hibs and I don’t really care what other managers think of me. ‘He’s said it because his team has let a two-goal lead slip but he’s clutching at straws. ‘The amount of kicks I take in a game and get up and play on would back that I’m not a cheat. ‘It’s just a manager who is a bit hurt after the game because his team let a 2-0 lead go. ‘You look for excuses as to why your team didn’t get the result.’ Following the penalty decision, Allan and former Hibs team-mate Bartley were involved in a running ‘discussion’ that carried on beyond the full-time whistle. But Allan insisted: ‘Nothing was fiery between me and Marv. We have a really good relationship.
‘He just kept smiling at me. He probably knew he got away with a few challenges and shouldn’t have been on the park. That’s how he plays. He’s combative in the midfield. It was a battle between me and him the whole game. ‘I feel it was a penalty. Your momentum takes you over, as well, when you’re running at that pace.’ Allan, who has often cut a frustrated figure during a 12-game run without a win in regulation time, said he will not stop getting on his team-mates’ backs in an attempt to drag Hibs to victory tonight. ‘I wouldn’t say I was a moaner,’ said Allan. ‘But we all want to get the best out of each other. ‘If I take too many touches, or force a pass, I expect someone to say something to me. It’s what you need to do to win games.’