Stewart happy to survive red alert

BY PAUL KIDDIE

NEW signing Michael Stewart today relived the moment he feared his first start for Hearts had ended with the ignominy of a red card.

The 23-year-old arrived at Tynecastle towards the end of last week after agreeing to partly pay for a year-long loan from Manchester United.

Having made his first outing for his new club in the friendly defeat from Fulham last Saturday, the midfielder was handed his first start for the Jambos in the East of Scotland Shield against arch rivals Hibs at Tynecastle.

Although played as an Under-21 fixture from last season, boss Craig Levein was keen to see his new arrival last the full game in an attempt to build up his match fitness.

However, the occasion almost ended in disaster for the three times capped internationalist after referee Stephen Finnie wrongly flashed a yellow then a red card in the closing moments of the clash which the Hibees won 3-1.

As tempers began to flare towards the final whistle, Stewart found himself in trouble after clattering into opponent Jay Shields - the player who had broken Stephen Simmons’ foot with a reckless tackle after just five minutes of Tuesday night’s encounter.

Having not previously been booked in the game, the loan star looked understandably incredulous at the decision, his team-mates and the bench vigorously protesting to the official.

To be fair to Finnie, no sooner had he ‘sent off’ Stewart than he realised his error and allowed the player to remain on the park.

Looking back now, the Gorgie star can see the amusing side of the incident.

"I said to the ref myself that he hadn’t booked me. I knew he had made a mistake as I saw the yellow card first before he showed the red. I think he just got a bit excited.

"I wasn’t too anxious at the time but sometimes you never know with referees. He apologised after he realised what had happen, though."

The injury to Simmons marred the evening and although the fracture isn’t as bad as first feared, he will still be out until October after X-rays showed a broken bone in his foot. Shields’ tackle incensed the Hearts players and Stewart reckons the Hibs youngster, who was fortunate to receive just a yellow card for the lunging challenge, should have been asked to leave the field of play.

"Things did get over the top at certain stages of the game. Simmy got a sore one and I think the ref could have told the Hibs bench to substitute their player for his own benefit."

With his team-mate now out of action for the next couple of months, Stewart may yet benefit from Simmons’ ill luck as he targets a regular first-team place in the weeks ahead. "That may be the case but you never want to see a team-mate injured," he said. "We are all keeping our fingers crossed that he makes a speedy recovery and gets back into things as quickly as possible."

Stewart was delighted to get his first full game since December under his belt, although it will take a few more matches until his fitness levels are such that Levein will consider him for a starting berth in the first team.

"It was great to get the full 90 minutes in and I felt a lot better in terms of lasting the game compared to the Fulham match last weekend," he said.

"Getting my match fitness is the priority for me at the moment and once that happens, everything else will take care of itself.

"I have to get as fit as possible as quickly as possible. But it’s not just the legs, it’s the mind as well. Once you’re fit physically, the mental side of things tends to be sharper, too."

Levein, meanwhile, admits Simmons is feeling hugely frustrated by his enforced absence.

The Gorgie boss had already thrown down the gauntlet to the midfielder during the pre-season tour to Canada, telling the former Scotland Under-21 star that it was time he started fulfilling his potential.

Simmons had been keen to make his mark in what is his last year of his contract and Levein said: "The tackle which put him out was a wee bit naughty. It’s a shame for the lad as he was as fit as I’ve seen him at this stage of the season.

"It must be very frustrating for him and he’ll now have to work his way back to fitness."

Taken from the Scotsman