REF CAN'T HAQ IT!

HEARTS 0-1 ST MIRREN

FURIOUS Roman Bednar got himself sent off for berating ropey ref Dougie McDonald as the battling Buddies sealed a stunning win.

The Hearts striker was given a straight red card in the tunnel after the Jambos shock defeat.

The Czech was livid at not being awarded a penalty in the first half when his shirt was tugged by St Mirren's Kirk Broad foot AND at Saulius Mikoliunas' yellow card for diving. He accused McDonald of making several other dodgy decisions as the Jambos had at least two more spot appeals rejected after the interval and now faces an SFA ban.

Gutted Hearts keeper Craig Gordon also had a go at the whistler and joked later that if skipper Steven Pressley was Pakistani cricket captain Inzamam Ul'Haq he would NOT have come out for the second half.

The Scotland No.1 said: "The boys were disappointed at halftime and felt we could have had two penalties on another day.

"In fact if big Elvis was Ul'Haq he wouldn't have sent us out for the second half.

"What did you think of the referee's performance? We had a few good shouts but have to accept it.

"We're not happy to lose to another team outside the Old Firm at home.

"Wehad enough chances to win but Tony Bullock was excellent. I told him he won his side the three points."

But let's not take anything away from Gus MacPherson's side who fully deserved their victory.

They had an inspired keeper in Bullock who pulled off at least three world-class saves and Stewart Kean's late tap-in sent them back to Paisley delirious.

If Vladimir Romanov IS picking the Hearts team maybe he should sack himself.

Despite a 4-1 drubbing of Inverness last week he made FIVE changes and paid the price.

It took 16 minutes for the game to spark into life and Bullock pulled off two stunning stops inside 30 seconds.

Neil McCann's cross was flicked on by Bednar to the free Mikoliunas but the keeper denied him with a terrific point-blank save.

From the corner Pressley's bullet header looked bound for the top corner before the Englishman acrobatically clawed it over.

Bullock certainly justified MacPherson's decision to drop rookie Chris Smith and hand him his first start of the season.

The Buddies had their first clear-cut chance on the half hour when it was Gordon's turn to produce an outstanding save.

Simon Lappin's centre was knocked down by Murray into the path of Kean whose close-range shot brought the best out of the Jambos keeper.

In 39 minutes Hearts had a stonewall penalty claim turned down to leave Valdas Ivanauskas raging on the touchline.

St Mirren had John Potter and Bullock to thank for the goalless scoreline at half-time.

Bednar rounded the keeper before his centre-back cleared off the line then Christophe Berra powered in a header but it was superbly stopped by the keeper.

Hartley's free-kick prompted yet another fine save from the inspired keeper and the home fans were getting restless.

In 74 minutes sub Mauricio Pinilla turned on the edge of the box and fired in a shot that had to be parried to safety by Bullock.

But with eight minutes left John Sutton played in sub Craig Molloy whose shot was spilled by Gordon and Kean netted.

Bednar missed a golden chance to equalise three minutes later.

Pinilla played him in but with just Bullock to beat he blasted his shot miles over.

Jambos gaffer Ivanuakas said: "Roman has said something he shouldn't but I don't know what - you'll have to ask the ref.

"He gave him a straight red card and said he would be putting it in his report.

"We could have had two penalties and I could discuss many decisions by the referee.

"I seem to talk about them all the time - last season, this season and also in Europe."

REFWATCH

Dougie McDonald got Hearts penalty shout badly wrong and made controversial call to book Mikoliunas for diving. 4 out of 10.

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MATCH STATS

HEARTS v ST MIRREN

SHOTS ON 5

SHOTS OFF 9

OFFSIDE 0

FOULS 11

CORNERS 11

BOOKINGS 1

SHOTS ON 3

SHOTS OFF 6

OFFSIDE 2

FOULS 23

CORNERS 2

BOOKINGS 4

Taken from the Sunday Mail