Paatelainen fumes as red card sways derby

By Andrew Lomax

Hibernian manager Mixu Paatelainen claimed Hearts captain Christophe Berra leapt like a "brown trout" to get Steven Fletcher sent off in their Homecoming Scottish Cup fourth-round

Christian Nade's first-half strike and an injury-time goal from 18-year-old substitute Gary Glen eased the visitors into the next round where they will meet Falkirk at home.

However, the Hibernian camp pointed angrily to the dismissal of Fletcher on the half-hour mark for a challenge on Berra as the turning point in the game.

Paatelainen, who spent much of the afternoon haranguing referee Craig Thomson, was certainly clear where the blame lay for his side's defeat.

"My opinion doesn't count but it was never a sending-off," he said. "Fletcher's foot touched the ground and he did not catch Berra at all. However, Berra jumps like a brown trout and makes things worse for Fletcher.''

Fletcher missed a great chance for the home side early on before he was sent off. Hibs were further punished seven minutes from the interval when Nade knocked in an Andrew Driver cut-back from close range.

The visitors controlled the second half comfortably and in the third minute of injury time Glen, on for David Obua, knocked in number two after running on to a fine pass from Christos Karipidis.

Hibs will point to Fletcher's dismissal as the turning point but the fact remains that the Leith club are still waiting to end their 107-year wait to win the Scottish Cup.

However, Berra said he had to take evasive action as Fletcher tackled him. "I took a touch and as I took another I just toe-poked it and jumped a wee bit because, if I had stayed on my feet, I think [Fletcher] would have caught me quite badly. He caught me a wee bit but if I didn't try to avoid the tackle, he could have caught me a lot worse."

The Hibs fans turned up for this lunchtime kick-off in optimistic mood although Easter Road was not full by the time the home side set about clinching a fifth-round spot.

The match quickly descended in to a scrappy affair but in the 11th minute Hibs should have taken the lead after midfielder Souleymane Bamba slipped in Fletcher with a pass which split the square Hearts defence open.

Fletcher tried to round Janos Balogh but the goalkeeper guessed right and managed to nick the ball away from his feet.

His dismissal fired up the home fans, who viewed the decision as an injustice, but for the first time in the game Hearts sensed they had the advantage and in the 38th minute Nade fired them ahead.

When Hibs failed to clear another attack, Driver found himself with space on the left-hand side and goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalambay ambling towards him, leaving his goal exposed. When he cut the ball across the six-yard box, Nade pounced to knock the ball high into the net.

Hibs piled forwards in search of an equaliser but in the third minute of injury time Glen made sure of a place in the fifth round.

Match details

Hibernian: Ma-Kalambay (Szamotulski 46), van Zanten, Hogg, Jones, Murray, Johansson (O'Brien 66), Bamba, Rankin, Stevenson, Fletcher, Riordan (Nish 66).
Subs: Yantorno, Chisholm.
Booked: Stevenson, Riordan, Rankin.
Sent Off: Fletcher
Hearts: Balogh, Jonsson, Zaliukas, Berra, Lee Wallace, Karipidis, Cesnauskis, Obua (Glen 82), Palazuelos, Driver, Nade (Stewart 90).
Subs: Kello, Thomson, Templeton.
Booked: Berra, Zaliukas.
Goals: Nade 38, Glen 90.
Referee: C Thompson.

Homecoming Scottish Cup fifth round draw
Forfar Athletic or Forres Mechanics v St Johnstone or Rangers
Airdrie United v Dunfermline Athletic
Heart of Midlothian v Falkirk
Inverurie Locos or Motherwell v Brechin City or St Mirren
Aberdeen v East Fife
Celtic v Peterhead or Queen's Park
Hamilton Academical v Dundee United
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Ayr United or Kilmarnock

Ties to be played on the weekend of 7/8 February 2009.

Taken from telegraph.co.uk