Ricksen penalty rescues Rangers in frantic finish

Graham Clark at Tynecastle
Thursday March 3, 2005
The Guardian

A pulsating match ended in mayhem last night as Rangers snatched victory with a hotly disputed penalty in injury-time during which they lost Dado Prso to a red card and Hearts also had Saulius Mikoliunas sent off.

It was an astonishing end which will have inevitable recriminations. Hearts will suffer most: Mikoliunas will be severely dealt with since it later emerged that he had received two red cards.

The Hearts manager John Robertson was furious. "It seems to have been a double red," he said. "Referee Hugh Dallas has told me the first was for throwing his chest at the assistant referee's chest after the penalty and then he swore at the referee.

"I have been told he will be reported for the two incidents, although I think there are mitigating circumstances for television seems to indicate it was a harsh penalty. Sotirios Kyrgiakos seems to have thrown himself at Lee Miller who was simply standing his ground. But I have been in enough trouble with officialdom before, so I have to say the decisions were spot-on and correct."

Hearts will also be in hot water following incidents after the final whistle as Dallas picked up at least three objects thrown at him and his fellow officials by incensed home fans.

The Tynecastle team deserve some sympathy for they were the better team on the night and looked to have secured a draw when Mark Burchill's goal cancelled out Nacho Novo's opener on 49 minutes.

Then, deep into injury-time, the madness descended. Miller and Kyrgiakos went for a Hamed Namouchi cross and play continued until Dallas spotted the assistant referee Andy Davis with his flag raised. As the pair conferred Prso, already booked, was involved in a wrestling match with Hearts' goalkeeper Craig Gordon and was promptly shown a second yellow and then a red card.

When the officials' discussions ended with Dallas pointing to the spot, Mikoliunas rushed over, pushed Davis and swore at Dallas after his immediate red card.

In the midst of it all Fernando Ricksen somehow kept a cool head to beat Gordon with the penalty to give Rangers a priceless victory.

When the dust settled Robertson asked to see Dallas. He said later: "The assistant referee refused to speak but the referee has told me the penalty was because Lee pulled Kyrgiakos, although that doesn't appear to be what happened according to television pictures."

Taken from the Guardian/Observer