Extra point but Levein is not happy with display
RAITH ROVERS 1 Nisbet (51) HEARTS 1 Smith (78) (Hearts won 4-2 on pens)
Hearts came within 12 minutes of discovering for the second year in a row that the League Cup can administer a sharp kick up the posterior to those teams with expectations of having a successful season.
Failure in the competition cost previous manager Iain Cathro his job before August had arrived, but, although Craig Levein’s position is far more secure, it was still a banana skin only narrowly avoided following a late Hearts equaliser and a penalty shootout at New Bayview yesterday.
“I’m angry about our perfomance in parts of the first half and bits of the second,” blasted Levein last night.
“It also annoys me that I had to bring on some young, inexperienced players to improve the performance of our team – which they did.
“If both teams put in the same amount of effort, then my feeling is that we should win the game 99 times out of 100.
“The fact that we didn’t win tells me Raith put in more effort than us – and that annoys me.
“We passed the ball far, far too slowly and the players didn’t show enough intent.
“We still had enough chances to win the game comfortably, but we didn’t.
“I’m certainly expecting a lot better when we start playing at Tynecastle.”
A Cup shock looked on the cards when Kevin Nisbet fired Rovers in front early in the second period.
Having opened the season with a 2-0 defeat to local rivals Cowdenbeath last Saturday, manager Barry Smith’s threadbare side clung grimly to its lead before Michael Smith’s long-range drive pulled Hearts level with time beginning to run out.
Skipper Christophe Berra thought he’d won it for the visitors in the 90th minute, only for his header to be disallowed for a foul.
“I don’t know what Don (referee Don Robertson) saw, so I’m angry about that,” barked Levein.
Hearts edged the penalty shoot-out 4-2 after Ross Matthews’ effort sailed over the bar and almost reached the sea behind the stadium.
Although disappointed, Smith chose to focus on the positives: “The boys took a lot of stick last week from the fans and myself, but we showed that we’re a professional team and I thought it was an excellent performance from us today.”
His opposite number faces an uncomfortable few days as he attends an SPFL hearing on Monday after the club fielded an ineligible player, Andy Irving, in last Wednesday’s tie against Cove Rangers.
Craig Levein is hoping that any punishment does not seriously harm their Betfred Cup ambitions.
“I would hope that any sanction wouldn’t be damaging to our prospects in the competition,” the Tynecastle gaffer said.