Hearts end up victims of officialdom

BARRY ANDERSON
Hearts 0,
Falkirk 1

AS HEARTS fans clambered on Tynecastle's dugouts at full-time baying for Dougie McDonald's blood, Csaba Laszlo must have been tempted to invite them on to the track to vent their disgust face to face.
The boom of fists thumping on perspex echoed around the famous stadium following one of the most inept displays of refereeing ever witnessed there.

McDonald might well be the only man more despised in Gorgie than Chris Robinson and under the circumstances, Laszlo's restraint was commendable.

He had obviously learned from a previous misdemeanour after October's league match against Aberdeen. Hearts had a penalty award rescinded that day by referee Steve Conroy and Laszlo incurred a two-match ban for his remonstrations at full-time. On Saturday he was notably more serene despite another penalty farce during a frustrating Scottish Cup exit, but his public happily vented fury on his behalf. McDonald had to be ushered up the tunnel by stewards and police at the end.

The official's main felony had come just after an hour of play. Falkirk were defending their 1-0 advantage achieved through Steve Lovell's header when Andy Driver fell in the penalty area under Dean Holden's challenge from behind. The full-back did play the ball but only after contact with Driver's heel. Presumably recognising that any tackle from behind is illegal, McDonald instantly pointed to the penalty spot before being urged by visiting players to consult his assistant, Chris Young. Seconds later, McDonald awarded Hearts a corner.

That the same peculiar change of mind should arise twice in one season at Tynecastle – involving the same assistant referee no less – will only fuel conspiracy theories, and with a Darren Barr handling offence in the penalty box missed by the referee during the first half, it all got too much to bear for the home support come full-time. In 11 years as a senior SFA referee, McDonald has taken charge of 34 matches involving Hearts. The Edinburgh club have won just nine of those.

Leaving aside the inefficient refereeing, the hosts had sufficient chances to ensure comfortable progress to the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. Profligacy in attack cost them dear as Falkirk effected a narrow victory against the balance of play, the kind Hearts themselves have specialised in this season.

Laszlo is also counting the cost of Marius Zaliukas' third red card of the season. He was dismissed for violent conduct after senselessly punching Carl Finnigan in the second half. Having been wrestled to the ground by the Falkirk substitute, heaven only knows why he didn't graciously accept a foul instead of setting about his opponent. Although with McDonald in charge, perhaps he was reluctant to assume anything.

"I don't want to lose my licence but I am sorry for the supporters and I am sorry for the team," said Laszlo, determined not to become embroiled in public criticism of officials. "Everybody saw this game and everyone saw the result. The game is finished and we must concentrate on the league in the next two games at home. It is better I don't say anything officially."

Laszlo did confess that he felt Falkirk's goal was offside, although television replays proved him wrong as David Obua appeared to play Lovell on. "For me it was clear that it was offside," he said. "But what can I comment? Must I say it was wonderful? He has made the decision and it is finished. I am not talking about this goal or the penalty."

The manager also argued that Steven Pressley should have been dismissed for a late trip on Michael Stewart as the midfielder headed for goal. Although the challenge was excessively cynical, for Pressley to be issued a straight red card he would have had to deny Stewart a clear goalscoring opportunity. With both Holden and Lee Bullen in place ready to challenge this was not the case and Pressley received a yellow.

"If Michael Stewart can score and the foul comes from behind which decision must you do? I am not the referee," added Laszlo.

On occasions, the officials' incompetence did work in Hearts' favour. What looked like a legitimate second goal for Falkirk by Michael Higdon was disallowed for offside despite the striker clearly springing the trap successfully. Scott Arfield's late ordering off for two bookable offences redressed the numerical balance but it came too late to make a difference. In any case, only one incident dominated the post-match chat.

"I think Dougie gave the penalty and it was the linesman who said it was a perfectly good tackle," said John Hughes, the Falkirk manager. "I've seen it on television and it was a great tackle by Dean Holden. I'm delighted something like that has gone our way. Last year, it worked the other way against us against Hibs. I think Holden again made the tackle, the referee said it was a fair tackle and it was the linesman who gave the penalty.

"I'm delighted the linesman was strong enough to call it and TV shows he got it perfectly right. They are a three-man team, aren't they? They took stock. We didn't want punished like that, so it was good.

"We're not getting carried away. It's a great result to get into the latter stages of the cup, but if anybody said swap it for three or six points, I'll bite your hand off. It was a good day for us, though.

"I'm honest enough to say Hearts were possibly the best team in the first half and had the best chances of the game. But I think the introduction of Finnigan swayed the game our way. I'm delighted for the boys, the spirit amongst them is fantastic and I'm glad we got the rewards."

Hughes was right to be pleased with his team's defensive resolve. Falkirk are nothing if not well organised, bullish and crafty and they know how to mix all three components effectively. Hughes' view that Hearts spurned potential match-winning chances early in the game was endorsed by Laszlo, who had taken a bold pre-match decision to field Eggert Jonsson at centre-forward with Gary Glen supporting.

"I think Gary Glen had the possibility to decide the game in the first half," opined the Hungarian, mindful that the teenager had shot wide and forced Dani Mallo, Falkirk's goalkeeper, to tip another effort over the crossbar. "We had chances in the second half. We did not score and I am unhappy about the result.

"We had a shape and some new positions. Some young guys came in the team. I think the team played attacking football. We dominated the game but today was very heavy for us. The key point was definitely this unlucky decision which came to the goal. Before I did not see Falkirk have any chance. They did not have any shots on goal. They tried to destroy the game and we tried to play. After this moment it was 1-0 down but we came back."

The hosts did show character and battled in vain through to full-time, but coming back in the true sense of the phrase proved beyond them.

If McDonald never reappears at Tynecastle it will be too soon as far as Hearts are concerned.

Taken from the Scotsman