'It was heat-of-the-moment stuff'

Published Date: 18 March 2002
HIBS goalkeeper Nick Colgan today revealed he's apologised to Ricardo Fuller for berating the Hearts striker after he won a penalty which clinched a first derby-day victory for the Gorgie club at Easter Road in five years.
Colgan launched a verbal tirade against the Jamaican star as he lay on the ground following Gary Caldwell's challenge and was booked by referee Willie Young for further showing his dissent by booting the ball away.

The Irish B cap was later called into Young's room after he was seen running towards Fuller at the final whistle although that confrontation ended in a handshake.

But today Colgan insisted that, as far as he was concerned, he hadn't picked up a second yellow card, the net effect of which would have been a sending off and an automatic one-match ban, ruling him out of Saturday's game against Dundee United at Tannadice.

He said: "It was all very much heat-of-the-moment stuff. I am very passionate about my football, I want to beat Hearts every time and they hadn't won at Easter Road for five years.

"I honestly thought Gary Caldwell had got a nick on the ball and I was very upset to concede a penalty, especially in that manner."

Hearts skipper Steven Pressley stepped up to win the match with that 88th-minute spot-kick and afterwards Colgan was seen running towards Fuller, Gorgie boss Craig Levein stepping between the pair.

However, the pair exchanged a hasty handshake before disappearing up the tunnel only for Colgan to be called to see Young.

Colgan said: "He told me that in his report he'd be saying I'd spoken to an opponent in an aggressive manner and I assume he was referring to the incident at the end of the game.

"But that sort of thing happens in every game. It wasn't as if I'd kicked or punched anyone. He said it might amount to another caution which would mean a red card but I was not shown a second yellow card.

"As far as I am concerned I haven't been sent off. I am still in the dark but I believe I've been booked for the initial incident and put in his match report for the second."

Once back in the dressing-room Colgan was quickly convinced by his team-mates that Young had got the penalty call spot-on and he said sorry to Fuller.

He said: "I was speaking to Alan Maybury, whom I know, when Ricardo walked past and I apologised. There was no long-winded speech about it but I did say sorry.

"And having seen the incident on television since, I have to say that if I was the referee I would have given a penalty."

Hibs boss Bobby Williamson had no complaints about the spot-kick but he felt his side should have also been awarded a penalty when Alen Orman was clearly clipped by Hearts kid Robert Sloan.

Instead of going down Orman tried to play the ball into the danger area only to see his pass intercepted.

At that time Hibs were leading 1-0 through Garry O'Connor's early strike and Williamson believes that if his side had gone 2-0 ahead they could well have ended up with all three points.

He said: "You cannot advise players to dive but he was caught and I think the referee should bring it back if there is not benefit to the team in possession.

"There were a couple of decisions which could have gone for us earlier in the game but that is part and parcel of the game, the breaks going against you."

Williamson admitted he was still a bit "shell-shocked" at having lost his first Edinburgh derby, saying: "I didn't expect to lose the way we were playing but the penalty killed us.

"I have no complaints about the attitude and determination of the players but we have to do a bit more in breaking teams down, especially at home.

"Hearts set their stall out to hit us on the break but we had chances to kill the game off and had we scored a second goal Hearts would have been forced to come out a bit and so left spaces for us to exploit."

Williamson agreed that one weakness he'll have to work on is the loss of yet another late goal.

He said: "It's become something of a trait for Hibs this season and something we'll have to work upon.

"I'm disappointed for the fans and players but it is up to us to get the heads up and look towards Saturday."

Taken from the Scotsman