CLARE & OBVIOUS ERROR
Late Hearts leveller has boss Wright seething at blunder ref
Furious Tommy Wright turned on ref Greg Aitken for costing his side dear in a Perth thriller.
Super Saints stormed back from 2-1 down at half-time to lead with only seconds to go against the Premiership basement boys.
But the McDiarmid Park gaffer accused the whistler of closing his ears to fourth official Steven McLean as Sean Clare grabbed a dramatic equaliser for Hearts.
The Jambos full-back fired in a stunning injury- time strike from 25 yards af ter Steven Naismith’s Hail Mary cross was knocked into his path.
However, Wright reckons Naismith would never have seized possession in front of his own technical area if Aitken had only listened to his mate at the mouth of the tunnel.
Wright said: “It was a poor decision. It was our throw in and the fourth official was right in front of it and he clearly said, ‘ blue, blue’.
“I have watched it back – the ref wasn’t even in a position to give it but he over-ruled him.
“Why he didn’t listen to his fourth official, I don’t know.
“You can bring VAR into Scotland all you want but it wouldn’t have worked today because the ref didn’t listen.
“You can say we should have dealt better with the ball forward and that’s right but it’s beyond comprehension that can happen.
“We should have won the game as we totally battered them in the second half.
“They didn’t deserve anything
from the match because we were better but they got a point with a great strike from a situation that shouldn’t have arisen.
“It was a terrific performance from us in the second half. The energy and quality was brilliant.”
Saints took the lead against the run of play in 17 minutes when Ali McCann, who has such a bright future, cut the ball back on the right for Stevie May to angle a shot from 16 yards across Joel Pereira.
The Jambos had star ted brightest and were level in 26 minutes when Andy Irving flat footed the Saints defence with a delightful pass in behind and Toby Sibbick squared for Liam Boyce to net from six yards.
Hear ts have not won at McDiarmid Park in the league for a decade and were chasing thei r f i rst back to back Premiership wins in 12 months.
They were on course to re-write that horrible history in 31 minutes when Naismith bulleted home a header from close range after John Souttar hooked a shot over his shoulder towards the top corner.
But Saints were inspired after the interval and after man of the match David Wotherspoon curled an effort inches over the top, McCann drilled a low shot into the corner of the net after good work from May.
The Hearts defence was all over the place and Chris Kane darted between Souttar and Pereira, but his shot trundled inches wide, before an Anthony Ralston volley bounced off the top of the bar.
Saints took the lead for the second time in 62 minutes when Craig Halkett inexplicably tugged Jason Kerr at the back post as he challenged for a Liam Craig free-kick.
It was a stonewall penalty and May stroked home his fifth goal