Neilson and Martindale hit out at VAR ‘shambles’ after Tynecastle stalemate
A SHARE of the spoils was not the only thing shared by Robbie Neilson and Davie Martindale at Tynecastle yesterday as both managers criticised match official Craig Napier and VAR. Hearts boss Robbie Neilson was the most outspoken, describing the afternoon as a ‘shambles’ and claimed his frustration over the refereeing aid was the source of his exuberant celebrations after seeing Josh Ginnelly net a 97th-minute equaliser.
Neilson, whose team were trailing to Stephen Kelly’s 55th-minute strike and down to ten men after Kye Rowles was shown a retrospective red card in the 75th minute for pulling on Joel Nouble’s jersey in the box, ran on to the pitch and fell to his knees with his hands raised in the air.
However, Neilson was aggrieved by the decision to send Rowles off and by the constant VAR interruptions on a chaotic afternoon.
Livingston were also angered that decisions went against them, namely a handball by Alan Forrest in the build-up to Hearts’ goal.
Boss Martindale was also stunned that Hearts were not reduced to nine men for Alex Cochrane’s challenge on Nicky Devlin.
‘It was a shambles, wasn’t it?’ remarked Neilson.
‘We’ve got this period now where hopefully it gets better.
‘I asked the fourth official (Peter Stuart) the rules on it and he didn’t know.
‘Rowles pulls him back, 100 per cent. But then he goes on and gets a shot away. Are you denying a goalscoring opportunity? You’ve still got a goalscoring opportunity. The play goes on and there’s three or four phases.’
Asked for the reason why
he celebrated in the manner he did, Neilson replied: ‘It was out of pure frustration after what a shambles of a day it became.’
In-between being ponderous on the ball in the first half, Hearts caused problems when they burst into life, Lawrence Shankland and Ginnelly both going close to scoring.
Livingston goalkeeper Ivan Konovalov, making his first league appearance of the season, made another good block just before the break to keep out a Shankland drive.
It was Livi, however, who could easily have gone in at the recess in front. Hearts goalkeeper Gordon spilled a Sean Kelly shot and then blocked a Stephen Kelly header at his post before Ginnelly kept a Jack Fitzwater header out on the goal line from the resulting corner.
Livingston did find a way to goal ten minutes into the second period.
Andy Shinnie brought down a Konovalov kick up the park and squared the ball to Stephen Kelly.
Using Nouble as a decoy, the former Rangers player made space for a shot on the edge of the area before striking a fine drive low into the left corner of the net.
Livingston should have strengthened their position in this game when Rowles, who had only minutes earlier cracked a header off the bar, had his afternoon cut short for pulling on Nouble’s jersey.
Sean Kelly stepped up but had his penalty saved by the Scotland international.
Despite being a man down, Hearts pressed at the end and, after Shankland twice had efforts cleared off the line, Ginnelly scored a dramatic equaliser in the seventh minute of additional time.
The ball broke to the winger in the box and he lashed a fierce drive high into the net past Konovalov, sparking wild scenes in the stands and on the pitch. After a few tense minutes, the match official confirmed the goal, particularly the build-up, was valid.
‘Why the referee hasn’t been called over to the monitor on a couple of occasions I don’t know,’ said Martindale.
‘The challenge on Nicky from Cochrane. How he doesn’t get asked to look at it on the monitor I’ll never know.
‘I am actually getting to the stage where I don’t know how the game is being reffed.
‘For the goal, apparently it was accidental handball (by Forrest). I think it should be pulled back and the goal shouldn’t be given.’