Levein L spot-kick rage as Jam Tarts breached
Hearts manager Craig Levein slammed referee Willie Collum for refusing to give two “blatant” penalties as the Tynecastle side finally conceded a goal after 831 minutes in yesterday’s stalemate with Motherwell.
Curtis Main notched an equaliser with literally the last touch of the game six minutes into injury time to earn the visitors a share of the spoils after David Milinkovic had put the hosts ahead in the 80th minute.
But Levein was furious that Collum did not award any first half spot-kicks.
The home supporters’ shouts for handball by Cedric Kipre were ignored, as was Ross Callachan’s tumble to the ground as he attempted to leave Tom Aldred in his wake.
Levein said: “For the life of me I do not know how we didn’t get two penalties in the first half, having seen both situations back on video.
“I asked Willie at half-time and he said their player definitely touched the ball. He didn’t.
“It’s the most blatant penalty you’ll see all year.
“Then the other one, the handball, is blatant.
“So I’m disappointed in Willie’s performance, I’m disappointed for the players and the effort they put into the game after two particularly hard matches recently and to be in front going into the sixth minute of injury time then to lose a goal was extremely disappointing.
“I’m disappointed that by giving away two free-kicks we invited the pressure of six or seven of their players into our box. I’m just disappointed for the players and the supporters, who were good today and backed us to the end.”
An untidy start aided by a strong, swirling wind gave way to a series of Hearts chances. The hosts were first to threaten in the 11th minute with the help of Aldred, the visiting defender knocking Demi Mitchell’s low cross of his own post from close range.
Anthony McDonald shot over before home pair Steven Naismith and Callachan both had strikes saved by Trevor Carson.
Hearts kept coming and Mitchell curled a shot off the outside of the post.
Goal scorer Main looked lively for the Steelmen in the first half and went close with a diving header from Nadir Ciftci’s cross in the 40th minute.
Further appeals for a spot-kick were waved away after the interval when Motherwell substitute Craig Tanner was
squeezed out by a posse of Hearts defenders.
In the same box, Main then pulled a shot wide with only Jon McLaughlin to beat.
Then Hearts scored. Irving’s freekick into the area fell to Milinkovic and the on-loan Genoa player struck a left-footed drive past the despairing arms of Carson.
The equaliser was scrappy but Motherwell did not care. Tanner’s free-kick into the area was kept alive by Andy Rose and Chris Cadden before Main headed in at the back post.
Hearts goalkeeper McLaughlin claimed the ball did not cross the line although his manager later acknowledged that it had.
“I thought it was thoroughly deserved – as a matter of fact I’m disappointed we didn’t take all three points,” said Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson, whose side remain six points adrift of fifth place Hearts. “The boys just never give up. “They are great boys to work with. Sometimes they make mistakes, they’ll play better some days than others.
“But they give me 110% in every single match and I think the new signings have given us a really big lift.”