HEARTS CHIEF CSABA IN REF RAGE

By Colin Brown, 25/10/2008

Scorers: HEARTS: Wallace ABERDEEN: Mackie

HOTHEAD Hearts gaffer Csaba Laszlo denied he threatened blunder ref Steve Conroy in an explosive end to this fiery clash.

With five minutes to go Conroy pointed to the spot after Michael Stewart went down under a challenge from Dons keeper Jamie Langfield.

But, after consulting his linesman, Conroy changed his mind and gave Aberdeen a goal kick.

At the final whistle Laszlo charged from his dugout and looked to be heading for a confrontation with Conroy when fourth official John McKendrick blocked his way before the Hearts boss then pushed Dons coach Sandy Clark in the chest.

Laszlo said: “I was called to the referee’s dressing room and we shook hands, but I don’t know if he will report me.

“I don’t remember pushing the Aberdeen coach, I didn’t touch anyone. I was angry, but only because we didn’t score. I can do nothing about the penalty decision being changed after the game.

“If you get a draw as a coach you are angry, but I wasn’t trying to get to the referee."

But TV pictures will tell a different story and Laszlo, who went through his usual circus act on the touchline, will almost certainly be in trouble with the SFA.

Aberdeen keeper Langfield congratulated linesman Chris Young for spotting Stewart’s dive and persuading Conroy to rescind his penalty award.

Langfield claimed: “I didn’t touch Michael Stewart, I pulled away and it was scary how far away he was from me when he went down.

“Stewart said after the game that he thought my momentum was going to hit him and that’s why he went down.

“But he’s tried a cheeky one and thankfully the linesman didn’t fall for it. I think he should have been booked for diving, but the linesman said that was up to the referee.”

Dons gaffer Jimmy Calderwood — who dismissed rumours he was about to be sacked — claimed he didn’t see the incident.

He said: “I didn’t see the penalty shout, but Jamie Langfield said he didn’t touch their player — all credit to the linesman for telling the ref what he saw, but I’ll have to see the TV pictures.

“But all credit to the players for a wonderful game in terrible conditions. The atmosphere was electric and in the end a draw was fair.”

On the strong rumours he was about to be axed as boss Caldo added: “There are enough honest people at Aberdeen to tell me to my face if I’m being sacked, but what can you do about rumours?”

Aberdeen started well and Zander Diamond wasted a great early chance when he headed wide from just six yards.

But it was only a temporary let-off as Marius Zaliukas made a terrible error to present the Dons with a gift lead.

Andrew Considine’s through ball looked hopeful at best, but Zaliukas failed to cut it out and Darren Mackie skipped past him to fire a calm low finish beyond Janos Balogh. Not the ideal start for the Hungarian keeper on his home debut, but he was helpless.

But Hearts responded in the best possible manner with a fabulous equaliser made and scored by Lee Wallace.

The Jambos’ full-back cut inside Darren Young, exchanged passes with Christian Nade and blazed a left foot finish high into the net from 15 yards. An effort Wallace will treasure for a long time to come.

Christos Karipidis was lucky ref Conroy missed his off the ball headbutt on Mackie which would have earned him a straight red card.

But Hearts continued to hold the upper hand as Bruno Aguiar’s cross caught the swirling wind and drifted just past Langfield’s back post. And the wind may also have affected Saulius Mikoliunas just before the break as he sent a close range header wide from Aguiar’s corner just after he picked up a stupid booking for kicking the ball away.

The chances continued to come after the interval with Nade somehow heading Aguiar’s corner over the bar from only three yards out.

But Hearts had a lucky escape after 54 minutes when Jared Hodgkiss latched on to Christophe Berra’s clearance and hammered a shot from 20 yards off the underside of the bar.

It was end-to-end stuff and Berra forced a fine save from Langfield as he met Stewart’s free-kick with a powerful header.

Aguiar went close with a header from Eggert Jonsson’s cross before Hearts escaped again with Lee Miller firing a stinging 25 yarder off the post with Balogh well beaten.

But in 84 minutes Hearts thought they had the chance to win it from the spot after Stewart tumbled in the box.

Conroy gave it then changed his mind, but the Jambos still had time for sub Deividas Cesnauskis to hit the post from a tight angle with Jamie Mole firing the rebound over.

HEARTS: Balogh, Jonsson, Berra, Zaliukas, Wallace, Mikolianus (Cesnauskis 78), Stewart, Aguiar (Ksanavicius 85), Palazuelos, Karapidis, Nade (Mole 75). Subs not used: MacDonald, Makela, Thomson, Rapnik.

ABERDEEN: Langfield, Foster, Diamond, Considine, Mair, Hodgkiss, Severin, Young, Aluko, Mackie, Miller (Mulgrew 88). Sub not used: Bateman, Wright, Kerr, Duff, De Visscher, Maguire.