Inverness CT 1 Hearts 1

Apr 17 2011 Gordon Parks, Sunday Mail

ADAM ROONEY last night claimed ref Crawford Allan robbed Inverness by chalking off a Richie Foran strike that was a FOOT over the line.

The Dubliner insists the whistler was wrong to wave play on after Hearts defender Andy Webster thumped away the Caley Thistle star's header from underneath the bar.

It was one of two goal-line controversies that ignited this clash, which started out with little at stake for either side but served up terrific entertainment for the supporters.

Ross Tokely was red-carded towards the end of the clash - but Rooney was adamant Inverness should have finished on top.

He said: "It must have been a great game to watch as it was so end to end.

"There were a couple of claims that the ball had crossed the line and they were both controversial.

"Hearts claimed a goal when I cleared the ball off the line with my knee from a Stephen Elliott shot but it didn't cross the line.

"But Richie's effort was well over the line before Webster cleared. It was a good header and a clear goal but the linesman didn't see it and unfortunately it wasn't to be.

"It's frustrating. We're adamant it was a goal. A few lads who were warming up behind the goal said it was at least a foot over.

"The ref wasn't going to change his mind so we had to get on with it. We were also unhappy with the goal we lost as there was a whistle just before it. It must have come from the crowd but some of us stopped."

Inverness were well worth their opener after intense early pressure.

A terrific Lee Cox pass released Rooney on the right and his deep delivery to the back post was brilliantly volleyed into the net by Aaron Doran.

The damage could have been doubled in 19th minutes when a low cross by Cox was met Rooney's diving header - but his low attempt was smothered at the second attempt by Jamie MacDonald.

Hearts had been strangely subdued but they burst into life and one minute before the break it should have been all-square - but Rudi Skacel's shot from only a few yards out was swept off the line by Stuart Duff.

Hearts were cursing their luck again just after the restart when a Suso Santana corner was rattled off the underside of the bar by Elliot and swept clear by Rooney as ref Allan waved away the Jambo appeals.

The leveller arrived in the 53rd minute and again Santana was the architect. His cutback from the byeline was slammed home from closerange by the unmarked Elliott.

Next the Spaniard burst down the flank to pick out Ryan Stevenson but his netbound effort was tipped wide by Ryan Esson.

Seconds later there was more goal-line controversy after Foran's header from a Cox cross was cleared by Webster.

This time it was the Highlanders' turn to have their pleas blanked by the whistler. Tokely copped his red card with 13 minutes left after upending David Templeton and earning his second caution of the game.

But Inverness boss Terry Butcher admitted it was tough on his defender to get his marching orders.

He said: "I felt it was harsh on Ross but even with 10 men we still pushed forward.

"It was anything but a meaningless end of season game."

Taken from the Daily Record