LEFT OUT IN THE COLD

Mar 13 2005

HEARTS ...............0 INVERNESS CT....2 Robbo: SPL ruined it for Jambos fans

Scott Mcdermott At Tynecastle

BITTER Hearts boss John Robertson last night accused the SPL of short-changing his supporters by not calling this game off.

The Jambos were comfortably beaten by in-form Caley but Robbo is adamant the game should never have gone ahead.

His squad have been struck down by a cold and flu bug all week but their request to postpone the match was turned down on Friday.

Robertson was forced to put four untried youngsters on the bench as well as give 17-year-old Jason Thomson his debut.

Craig Brewster's Caley were just too strong for them as goals from ex-Hibs defender Darren Dods and Barry Wilson from the spot made it six league games unbeaten for the Highlanders.

Despite Hearts' poor performance, it was the league bosses who got it in the neck from Robbo.

He said: 'We feel the SPL have short-changed the supporters.

'They pay decent money to come to see a good product on the pitch and they didn't get that today.

'If I'd played that team in a cup tie I'd have been fined for fielding an under-strength side.

'We only have one fit midfielder at the club and at one point today we had six attackers on the pitch.

'That's what lost us the game - Caley bossed us in midfield and deserved their victory.

'We told the SPL we had 23 players out due to flu but they made their decision and we had to do what we were told.

'The first goal we lost was from a set-piece and I knew Caley would be dangerous from them.

'But I'm missing some big players as well so that cost us too.'

You can't help but feel some sympathy for Robertson and Hearts but it wasn't a team full of kids who lost this game.

In fact, the Tynecastle boss made just THREE changes to the side that drew with Dunfermline last weekend.

He claims he only had one midfielder, which begs the question: Where do Neil Jancyzk, Joe Hamill and Devidas Cesnauskis play?

They are all midfielders and even the fourth yesterday, Dennis Wyness, HAS been deployed there before.

It was still a decent side he had out, even though his bench was short of experience.

In-form striker Lee Miller was passed fit for Hearts after recovering from flu so he started up front with Graham Weir.

Caley arrived in Edinburgh boosted by the news gaffer Brewster had shaken off the injury that caused him to miss last week's draw at Ibrox.

That was the Highlanders' only change, with Brewster replacing Graham Bayne who dropped to the bench.

Hearts started brightly but it was Caley who carved out the first gilt-edged chance on 14 minutes.

Brewster, Roy McBain and Wilson combined to find Stuart Golabek on the left wing, who sent over a terrific cross that was met by the on-rushing McBain at the back post.

His downward header beat Craig Gordon but Hearts skipper Andy Webster got back to clear off the line.

Despite the Jambos' personnel problems, it was an even contest and they almost levelled on 23 minutes.

Hamill's teasing cross was headed back across goal by the towering Miller and Ross Tokely did well to clear as Weir and Co lurked.

It didn't take long before standside linesman Keith Sorbie was taking pelters - he was the first man to run that line since Andy Davis awarded THAT penalty to Rangers.

When Cesnauskis' cross looked to be blocked by Golabek's arm but no foul given, cries of 'are you Davis in disguise' rang out.

Robertson's side enjoyed the bulk of possession without creating any clear-cut chances in a poor first half.

Both teams struggled to string three passes together and the game was devoid of flair or imagination.

It was just as bad after the break - and not helped by the fussy refereeing of Craig Thomson who just wouldn't allow the game to flow.

Richie Hart had the first chance of the second half but he fired well wide from Wilson's neat cut-back.

On 57 minutes, Hearts finally got in behind the Caley defence and Wyness should have made it 1-0.

Cesnauskis' cross was headed back across goal by Weir but the former Thistle striker headed inches over.

The Jambos would rue that miss because a minute later Caley scored.

Hart's superb free-kick was met by Dods, who directed a magnificent header beyond Gordon for his first goal of the season. His effort curled away from the keeper and nestled in the top corner but Hearts' marking was non-existent.

Suddenly the game had came to life. Immediately Hearts went up the park and almost equalised, Tokely's header coming off his own bar.

Russell Duncan should have done better five minutes later when he found himself free on the edge of the box but pulled his shot wide.

Robbo threw on strikers Ramon Pereira and Hjalmar Thorarinsson to form a four-pronged strikeforce but it was to no avail.

On 72 minutes a blunder from Christophe Berra allowed Caley to go two-up. His blind pass-back went straight to Wilson who went around Gordon and was pulled down by the keeper. It was a definite penalty an Wilson stepped up to seal the win.

Brewster was delighted with the victory that made it seven points out of the last nine for Caley.

He said: 'We were in a no-win situation today with everything that's been said about Hearts' flu bug.

'I can sympathise with them but they still had a strong team out and we had to be focused.

'We had no spark in the first half but the second was a lot better.

'We've now an easy one against Celtic on Wednesday. They'll have a lot of confidence but so will we and we can cause them problems.'

ref watchCRAIG THOMSON didn't allow the game to flow, stopped play too often and made some strange decisions, though he got the penalty award right and only booked Craig Gordon for the foul. Rating: 5/10.

Taken from the Sunday Mail