- Fir Park draw takes leaders four points clear of Celtic, who have a game in hand
Derek McInnes told referee Steven McLean he had a bad night in Hearts’ 1-1 draw at Motherwell and accused him of denying the league leaders a stonewall second-half penalty.
With Lawrence Shankland having levelled following a Stephen Kingsley own goal, substitute Alexandros Kyziridis went down in the area on 66 minutes with TV pictures showing Tawanda Maswanhise stand on his foot.
McLean was called to the pitchside monitor by VAR Greg Aitken, but still refused to award the spot-kick – adding to the disappointment felt by McInnes afterwards, having lost key players Marc Leonard and Craig Halkett to achilles tendon injuries over the 90 minutes.
Hearts are now four points clear of Celtic having played a game more – with the Old Firm derby at Parkhead playing out on Sunday – but their fans believe the gap should be greater.
‘I am adamant it is a penalty,’ said McInnes. ‘I thought it was at the time.
‘Greg Aitken has done his job really well tonight. He does what he should do in the VAR and brings the referee over to monitor and we were shocked.
‘I’ve seen it again from the Sky angles as well. The explanation I got was, yes, there’s contact, but there’s not enough contact. Now anybody who’s played football knows that Kyziridis is sprinting four or five yards off the mark, sharp. He doesn’t need to go down. It’s a short corner we are trying to work and he’s been caught.
‘It’s a penalty kick. And it’s such a pivotal moment. It’s a huge moment. I thought the referee had a poor night tonight. We’re all guilty of having poor nights. I’ve had millions of them. But he had a poor night tonight. I didn’t think he looked settled the whole game.
Hearts boss Derek McInnes believes his side should have been awarded a penalty
‘You want me to be really angry, right? I’m disappointed in the decision. But it’s actually done now, I’ve got to move on from it.
‘I take comfort in the fact that my team still played to win. In normal circumstances, it’s not the worst result. The fight and spirit of the team was there.’
Kyziridis also insisted McLean got it wrong.
‘I felt something on my leg,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘Otherwise, I would never jump. For me, it is a clear penalty but the decision stands. We can not change anything so we need to be focused on Wednesday (against Falkirk).’
McInnes admits, though, that a league will have to be won now without Leonard and Halkett. ‘Both Achilles injuries. Both significant time-out, I think. Both left on crutches,’ he said.
‘I’ve had one player in my whole time with an Achilles injury. Big Marvin Elliott at Bristol City. I’ve been managing 18 years or so now and I’ve never had another Achilles injury with a player. That’s two in the one game, which is so unusual.
Hearts winger Kyziridis is tripped by Well striker Maswanhise
‘Obviously, you have to contend with severe injuries. I looked at the boys that turned up tonight in their big jackets, sitting in the stand behind us. What a team that would be. That team would qualify for Europe, the team that was sitting in the stand.
‘Halkett and Marc have been brilliant this season, but we’re going to have to deal with these two games without them.
‘ I don’t want long faces. We’re disappointed for the two boys that are injured more than anything at the minute.’
