Craig Levein points finger at referee after Motherwell hold Hearts

Posted Sunday, January 28, 2018 by PA

Hearts manager Craig Levein was frustrated with referee Willie Collum’s performance after his side lost their clean sheet record in the sixth minute of stoppage-time against Motherwell.

Hearts opened the scoring when David Milinkovic netted after an 80th-minute set-piece but Motherwell secured a 1-1 draw in the dying seconds when Curtis Main’s header went over the line before Steven Naismith could clear. It was the first goal Hearts had conceded in nine matches.

Footage proved Collum got that decision right following protests from Hearts goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin after he stopped the ball almost on the line, but Levein felt his team should have been out of sight after being denied two penalties.

Cedric Kipre escaped a handball appeal and Collum signalled Aldred had touched the ball before bringing down Ross Callachan.

Levein said: “A lot of things happened that I was disappointed with. For the life of me I do not know how we didn’t get two penalties in the first half.

“I watched both situations on the video. I asked Willie at half-time and he said their player definitely touched the ball. He didn’t. It’s the most blatant penalty you’ll see all year. The path of the ball doesn’t change and he comes in from the side. It’s blatantly obvious. I don’t know where he dreamt that up from.

“The handball is blatant. He puts his arm out.

“So I’m disappointed in Willie’s performance. I am disappointed for the players and the effort they put into the game. And to be in front going into the fifth minute of injury time and lose a goal was extremely disappointing.

“I’m disappointed we invited the pressure by giving two free-kicks away in the final three minutes. It invited six or seven of their players into our box.

“It was a day of disappointment.”

Motherwell also had a penalty appeal when Christophe Berra forced Craig Tanner off the ball and manager Stephen Robinson claimed their Ladbrokes Premiership point was “thoroughly deserved”.

Robinson added: “I think it sums up the spirit we have. The boys absolutely never give up, they are boys you want to work with.

“Sometimes they make mistakes but they give me 110 per cent every single match.”