Jim Jefferies bemoans referee's denial of a "stonewaller"

But, while he was aggrieved not to get the penalty, Jefferies couldn't be too upset with a share of the points.

He admits that his team had "too many passengers" in a first half where they failed to match their hosts' commitment and had it not been for goalkeeper Marian Kello, they could have headed back to Edinburgh with nothing. "He's fantastic, said Jefferies, whose side kept their 12th clean sheet of the season.

"He's up there with the best of them. I was right behind the (Sone] Aluko one and it was dipping in so it was a magnificent save. The late one was a good save as well."

Brown thought that his men had edged it but, given the progress shown by his side since taking control, he said he was happy with the point. A bigger concern had been the head knock sustained by his young centre-back Rory McArdle in the first 45 minutes.

"He got a very nasty cut above his nose and required five stitches, but then the first thing he does when he comes on is go up and head the ball."

That refusal to tone down his play meant the bandage on his head had to be replaced several times but Brown was reluctant to replace him. "It meant we were down to 10 men several times in the game but we had lost Zander Diamond through injury," the player picking up an ankle knock in training on Friday, "so we wanted to continue with Rory because Hearts are a mobile side and he has good mobility and good pace and we needed that in the heart of our defence. He is 100 per cent and has that determined attitude."

Taken from the Scotsman