Extra crime

By RONNIE MacKAY

Published: 15 Feb 2012

PAULO SERGIO revealed he almost cost Hearts Scottish Cup quarter-final place because he didn't know the rules.

The Jambos boss kept his subs for extra time as the initial clash with St Johnstone headed towards a 1-1 draw — not realising it would have to go to a REPLAY first.

The Jambos won that 2-1 — ironically, after extra time — on Tuesday night.

But Sergio said: "I have a confession to make from the first Cup tie against St Johnstone at Tynecastle. I made a stupid mistake. I did not know that the game would go to another match after the 90 minutes — I thought there would be extra time.

"Because of that, I had not used my substitutes because I thought we would have more time.

"In Portugal, we have a first match with extra time and then another with extra time then penalties.

"So when the first game finished 1-1, Steve Lomas and Tommy Wright came to shake my hand and I was brushing them away saying 'what are you doing? We'll speak later'.

"I was speaking with my coaching staff because I thought the game was going into extra time. If you see the images from the end of the game you'll notice I look surprised when Steve comes to shake my hand.

"But then he told me that it was over, it goes to a replay, it wasn't extra-time at Tynecastle. I did not have the information.

"But even though I knew the second game would go to extra time I still used my three subs trying to win it in the 90 minutes."

Hearts looked down and out until Jamie Hamill scored a last-gasp penalty to take the game to extra time in Perth after Murray Davidson scored for Saints.

Skipper Marius Zaliukas popped up with a 117th-minute winner to earn them a home tie against St Mirren.

Zaliukas said: "It was a brilliant feeling. Over the last couple of years, we haven't got through this round and last year was lost to St Johnstone so this one made it even more special.

"I had a bad feeling when they scored. It was probably their only shot on target.

"We were lucky with the penalty but it left us happy."

Saints were fuming at the spot-kick, given when sub Suso Santana went down in the box as Alan Maybury challenged him.

Zaliukas admitted: "I was very close to the penalty. I'd say it was 50-50 but the decision has been made and you can't change it."