JEFF: HE WAS BERRA LUCKY TO BE ON PARK

RAGING Killie boss Jim Jefferies was left cursing match officials for the second game on the trot after Hearts goal hero Christophe Berra luckily escaped a red card.

The Jambos defender was the last man when he brought down Danny Invincible on the edge of the box but referee Eddie Smith failed to give a free kick never mind send the player off.

It was a huge moment in Hearts' 2-0 win - with Berra himself scoring the second - and comes on the back of Kilmarnock having a perfectly good goal chalked off against Celtic last week.

And Jefferies (left) groaned: "I went to see the referee after the game just to try and get an explanation because everyone else thought it was a clear sending off but he was going out for a warm down.

"Danny's an honest lad and he said he'd got in behind the defender and his heels were clipped.

"But probably the problem for the referee is that if he gives a foul then he's got to send the player off because the defender was the last man and it was clear goal-scoring opportunity.

"We didn't get the break last week with Naisy's goal and we didn't get it again and it was about the same time, the 43rd minute.

"There must be something about 43 minutes - I certainly won't be taking 43 in the lottery!."

But last night Berra insisted a red card would have been unfair.

He explained: "I honestly didn't see Danny running across me and I don't know if I maybe caught him.

"If I did clip him it wasn't intentional and it all happened so quickly.

"Craig Gordon said he would have claimed the ball anyway and that Danny had taken a bad touch.

"I don't know if he dived, clipped his own heels or I caught him by accident but I think a red card would have been unfair."

Taken from the Sunday Mail