Last-minute penalty kick leaves Laszlo speechless

ANGUS WRIGHT
HEARTS manager Csaba Laszlo could hardly talk after his side's dramatic last-gasp 2-1 defeat by ten-man Rangers at Tynecastle yesterday.
A clearly disappointed Laszlo would not be drawn on the penalty decision in the final minute that cost his side a point.

Asked if it was a spot-kick, he said: "I do not know – they gave it. If they give it, what can I do?"

When then asked if his players thought it was a penalty, all the normally loquacious Laszlo would say was: "Ask them."

Substitute Kris Boyd tucked away the winning penalty for the Scottish champions, just seconds after coming off the bench.

David Witteveen had given the home side the lead in the first half, before Lee McCulloch equalised for the visitors in the second period.

Walter Smith's men got off to a terrible start when Kevin Thomson was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Ian Black after 13 minutes.

Smith said his side deserved the three points after fighting back from their early disadvantage.

"I thought we played very well especially in the second half," he said.

"I'm delighted we managed to get a win from that.

"I did not think it was a red card. I did not think there was any great contact with the player."

The Rangers manager added that he had every faith in Boyd to snatch victory for the visitors in the closing minutes.

"Boyd came on and had a good touch for Steven Naismith," said Smith. "When you get a penalty, you are always confident that he will score it.

"It was a good finish from him and then we had to hold on a little bit at the end, which you would expect to do away from home and down to ten men."

Taken from the Scotsman