KINGSTON SENT OFF FOR BRANDING REF RACIST

LAYREA KINGSTON was at the centre of a racism storm after coping a second red card AFTER Hearts' 1-0 defeat to Aberdeen yesterday.

The Ghanaian star - sent off for a deserved second yellow in the 63rd minute of the crucial clash - was hauled into whistler Steve Conroy's room amid claims he called the ref a RACIST as he stormed off.

Kingston (right) lost the plot at his red and had to be hauled away from the man in the middle by Christophe Berra. He then stripped off his shirt and gestured at BOTH sets of fans on his walk to the tunnel.

However his outburst at Conroy - heard by a Hearts player as the midfielder argued the decision - will land him in serious trouble with the SFA and the SPL.

It's understood Conroy - whose wife is black - waited until after the game to take further action.

But the second red WILL appear in his report to the beaks and is a cert to worry the disciplinary committee.

The red was the big talking point of a poor game that saw Dons take charge of third spot in the SPL thanks to Stevie Lovell's seventh-minute goal.

Jambos skipper Craig Gordon refused to defend Kingston but DID criticise Conroy after the game.

Scotland's No.1 spent a full 30 seconds having a face-to face blast at the ref at the end of a second half that saw and astonishing SIX yellows and a red for Hearts.

Gordon moaned: "Obviously the discipline thing didn't help us but you'll really need to ask the ref about some of the bookings.

"There were probably one or two Aberdeen players who deserved to be booked too."

Asked if that was the point he was making to the ref at the end, he replied: "One of hundreds. I didn't swear. I was angry but controlled.

"But I wasn't happy because I don't like losing.

"I could see the ref's point of view with the sending off.

"Layrea went in high but he was maybe a bit unlucky."

Assistant Hearts boss Stevie Frail (below) said: "I can't criticise the ref or I'll be in trouble but I don't think an Aberdeen player got booked.

"That's not to say our guys didn't deserve theirs but two teams were out there."

The cards were the least of Hearts' worries on a day that saw them lose more ground in the chase for a Euro slot.

Gordon added: "We didn't play well but there's still time.

"No-one is guaranteed points after the split because every game is difficult - so we're not dead yet.

"But it would be stupid to say we're playing well enough. We've had a lot of changes. I was the only player in the starting lineup today with a squad number under 20."

Taken from the Sunday Mail