Inverness CT 1 - 1 Hearts

FRANK GILFEATHER at Pittodrie December 13 2004

Patrick Kisnorbo learned his lesson when he was shown a red card for diving in a UEFA Cup-tie for Hearts, which is why he was irked at what he saw as blatant rule-breaking by Juanjo, the stylish and clever Inverness Caledonian Thistle front man.

Juanjo, claimed the Australian midfielder, seemed to hit the floor with every tackle, particularly the alleged push in the back by Michael Stewart to bring the home side's penalty award.

"I thought he did dive a few times and luckily for his sake he got the penalty," said Kisnorbo. "I thought Graham Weir's second foul in the box was more of a penalty and if the keeper is the last defender why is he getting a yellow card? He should be getting a red. That's what the rule says. If the referee is giving decisions that are questionable what can you do?

"I told Juanjo the first time he went down, to stop diving. He did it again to Elvis [Steven Pressley], then later he wins a penalty. I got sent off for diving in a UEFA competition and he gets nothing. If I get sent off for that then I get yellow-carded on Saturday for breaking up something I didn't even start, I don't understand it."

Strong words as Hearts prepare for Thursday night's crucial UEFA Cup tie against Ferencváros at Murrayfield. A victory is required as well as Feyenoord to beat or draw in Basle for the Tynecastle men to go through to the last 32 of the competition.

Such thoughts were far from the minds of the players and managers at Pittodrie on Saturday where the 32nd-minute ordering off of Hearts defender Andy Webster sparked a level of bad feeling which threatened to ruin the game.

Webster took Graham Bayne out of play – and on to the track – but was seen by referee, Calum Murray, to then stamp on the striker, a claim later denied by the Hearts man. Murray's flashing of the red card brought the inevitable fracas involving several players with Kisnorbo's efforts to break things up resulting in him being cautioned.

The loss of a player, of course, meant a rethink by John Robertson, the Hearts manager, on how to approach the second half, and when substitute Weir was pulled down in the box in the 61st minute by the Inverness goalkeeper, Mark Brown, leniently booked, it was left to Paul Hartley to drill home the spot kick.

It was Juanjo, running the show for Caley Thistle, who won the home side's penalty award as he evaded Kisnorbo and Stewart before going down.

The referee's decision that he had been pushed in the back by Stewart was seen by both Robertson and the Inverness manager, Craig Brewster, as being, like the Hearts award, soft.

Juanjo had no such thoughts and converted the kick himself to give the Highlanders their fifth successive home game without defeat.

Patrick Kisnorbo learned his lesson when he was shown a red card for diving in a UEFA Cup-tie for Hearts, which is why he was irked at what he saw as blatant rule-breaking by Juanjo, the stylish and clever Inverness Caledonian Thistle front man.

Juanjo, claimed the Australian midfielder, seemed to hit the floor with every tackle, particularly the alleged push in the back by Michael Stewart to bring the home side's penalty award.

"I thought he did dive a few times and luckily for his sake he got the penalty," said Kisnorbo. "I thought Graham Weir's second foul in the box was more of a penalty and if the keeper is the last defender why is he getting a yellow card? He should be getting a red. That's what the rule says. If the referee is giving decisions that are questionable what can you do?

"I told Juanjo the first time he went down, to stop diving. He did it again to Elvis [Steven Pressley], then later he wins a penalty. I got sent off for diving in a UEFA competition and he gets nothing. If I get sent off for that then I get yellow-carded on Saturday for breaking up something I didn't even start, I don't understand it."

Strong words as Hearts prepare for Thursday night's crucial UEFA Cup tie against Ferencváros at Murrayfield. A victory is required as well as Feyenoord to beat or draw in Basle for the Tynecastle men to go through to the last 32 of the competition.

Such thoughts were far from the minds of the players and managers at Pittodrie on Saturday where the 32nd-minute ordering off of Hearts defender Andy Webster sparked a level of bad feeling which threatened to ruin the game.

Webster took Graham Bayne out of play – and on to the track – but was seen by referee, Calum Murray, to then stamp on the striker, a claim later denied by the Hearts man. Murray's flashing of the red card brought the inevitable fracas involving several players with Kisnorbo's efforts to break things up resulting in him being cautioned.

The loss of a player, of course, meant a rethink by John Robertson, the Hearts manager, on how to approach the second half, and when substitute Weir was pulled down in the box in the 61st minute by the Inverness goalkeeper, Mark Brown, leniently booked, it was left to Paul Hartley to drill home the spot kick.

It was Juanjo, running the show for Caley Thistle, who won the home side's penalty award as he evaded Kisnorbo and Stewart before going down.

The referee's decision that he had been pushed in the back by Stewart was seen by both Robertson and the Inverness manager, Craig Brewster, as being, like the Hearts award, soft.

Juanjo had no such thoughts and converted the kick himself to give the Highlanders their fifth successive home game without defeat.

Taken from the Herald