KISSED OFF

CHEEKY Hibs star Scott Brown blows a smacker to Paul Hartley at Easter Road yesterday - and Hearts could be kissing goodbye to their Champions League dream after a 2-1 derby defeat.

Hibees sub Abdessalam Benjelloun rattled home a late winner to give Rangers hope of catching the Jambos in the race for second place.

Gers can close the gap to two points with victory at Parkhead today after Hearts' rollercoaster season took another twist with a fresh row over who is picking the team at Tynecastle.

But gaffer Valdas Ivanauskas refused to reveal why star men Andy Webster and Edgaras Jankauskas were left in the stand while midfielder Rudi Skacel started on the bench. He stonewalled inquiries and insisted: "Only questions about the team who played please."

The mystery fuelled the season-long speculation over Jambos owner Vladimir Romanov's influence on team selection. And Hearts keeper Craig Gordon dropped a strong hint that team orders were coming right from the top.

The Scotland No.1 was asked if he was surprised international team-mate Webster had been left out in favour of Ibrahim Tall and Christophe Berra.

But he would only say: "That's notmycall - that's down to people higher up than me.

"They put out a team probably still capable of getting three points."

Asked if "people higher up" meant the head coach, Craig smiled: "Let's just say I mean people higher up than me."

Earlier in the season George Burley revealed he'd had no say in the arrival of Tall and Sammy Camazzola to the club.

His successor Graham Rix was then told to leave Webster out of their 1-1 draw with Dundee United at Tannadice because he was stalling on signing a new deal.

Now the centre-half has missed two games on the bounce at a crunch time.

Rangers will have second place in their own hands IF they win their final four games - including a last-day clash with Hearts at Ibrox.

Ivanauskas insisted the 11 men who DID play should still have had enough talent to win.

Derek Riordan's opener - the subject of a huge offside appeal - was countered on the stroke of the break by Roman Bednar.

But Moroccan ace Benjelloun brought the house down with his 78th-minute winner.

Ivanauskas fumed: "I don't think every one of my players understood the importance of the derby.

"I was angry at half-time but what I said will stay private.

"If we want to make the Champions League we need to play for 90 minutes not just 45. We now need to fight.

"Congratulations to Hibs. They played well and Rangers still have to come here."

Craig echoed those sentiments and insisted: "We have a five-point lead and I know Rangers would rather be in our position.

"I'm also sure Rangers will drop points between now and the end of the season."

Gordon also revealed his anger at Riordan's opening goal with Steven Fletcher clearly offside and in the keeper's line of sight as the shot flew in.

He sighed: "The rules have been muddied a bit this year but it was still pretty clear to me that Fletch was interfering with play.

"However, keepers don't get much of a break when it comes to calls like that."

Taken from the Sunday Mail