Mixu slates ref over Co-op Cup blunders

RAGING Mixu Paatelainen today blamed blunders by referee Iain Brines for Hibs Co-operative Insurance Cup exit – and produced the evidence to back his claim.

The Easter Road boss was furious when, having seen his side stage a stunning comeback after trailing by two goals to lead 3-2, Brines awarded opponents Morton a controversial penalty.

Paatelainen was adamant Allan Jenkins' shot had struck Dean Shiels in the ribs even though his arms were raised, a view supported by video evidence. Iain Russell, with his second goal of the game, hauled the First Division side level. If the big Finn was incensed at that decision, he was incandescent with rage when Brines penalised Chris Hogg after a tussle with Erik Paartalu, the video again backing up his opinion that the Hibs skipper for the night was the victim rather than the perpetrator of the offence.

And to add insult to injury, while Hogg was forced to retreat to the touchline after receiving treatment, Paartalu, having been given the once-over by the Morton physio remained on the pitch in defiance of the rules. As a result, Hibs were left short-handed in defence as goalkeeper David Grof failed to hold Peter Weatherson's shot from the resultant free-kick, allowing former Easter Road kid Ryan Harding to win the tie for the Greenock side.

Paatelainen's fury boiled over, with the Hibs boss, who was just back after a two-match touchline ban, sent to the stand for, he claimed, no more than throwing a towel to the ground in disgust.

He said: "The ball hit Dean on the ribs, he has a red mark on his side. I have watched the video many times and you can see it. It is not a penalty, the ball does not hit his arm. That is my judgment."

Paatelainen and video analyst Grant Small treated the assembled Press corps to re-runs of both incidents, claiming Paartalu's challenge on Hogg which settled a seven-goal thriller in extra-time, was "an assault" by the Morton player and should have resulted in a free-kick to Hibs.

He said: "Paartalu never looks at the ball, he looks at Chris, turns his back and jumps all over him. The referee was in a great position to see it."

The video evidence also clearly showed both physios enter the field of play, Hibs' Colin McLelland treating Hogg at some length while Paartalu, despite having risen to his feet, was also checked.

Paatelainen said: "Our player goes off, theirs does not and we are a man short. You can make up your mind as to who is right or wrong. As far as I am concerned we should have won the game 3-2."

Brines was already under fire from Falkirk manager John Hughes having failed to see Celtic captain Stephen McManus use an arm to score the opening goal at Parkhead at the weekend, while he also had to apologise for chalking off a legitimate goal from Aberdeen's Zander Diamond at the same venue last season. And Paatelainen claimed the whistler's gaffes took away from his side's storming comeback last night after Russell and Stevie Masterton had fired Morton into a seemingly unassailable lead.

But a spectacular 30-yard strike from Joe Keenan followed by a jinking run and precise shot from Shiels forced the game into extra-time, with Steve Pinau taking just 36 seconds of that period to put Hibs ahead.

However, just how Hibs found themselves trailing by two goals will remain a mystery, with the Edinburgh club, as Paatelainen claimed, having created enough chances to "win five games."

Profligacy in front of goal has already caused Hibs some harm this season and it damaged them big style on this occasion.

Although Morton goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert pulled off some superb saves and was aided by robust and fearless defending, Hibs, and Scotland striker Steven Fletcher in particular, were guilty of some abysmal finishing. Twice Fletcher was left with only Cuthbert to beat but on both occasions the 21-year-old, who doesn't seem to be able to buy a goal at the moment, placed his shot at a good height for the goalkeeper who pushed them aside.

Colin Nish, too, could have had a hat-trick before half-time although the fact he didn't extend his scoring run was more down to bad luck than anything else, a shot on the turn coming off Cuthbert, a header flashing over and an attempt to divert a team-mate's shot on target finding the legs of an opponent.

Amidst all this Hibs were hit by a sucker punch, Russell beating Andy McNeil, who picked up a head knock in the process, to a through ball, leaving the goalkeeper stranded wide of his goal, the Morton forward showing tremendous awareness to curl a shot from a tight angle into the net despite the attempts of Ian Murray to clear.

And so it went on throughout the second half, Moroccan star Merouane Zemmama, who was making a surprise return following a broken foot, twisting and turning before unleashing a shot which was blocked by the outstretched left boot of Cuthbert, a feat he repeated a few minutes later before Dominic Shimmim got in the way of a Shiels effort which seemed certain to find the net.

Masterton blasted home a stunning free-kick from 30 yards to apparently kill the game, but then came that late onslaught which forced the game into extra-time and that controversial climax. Paatelainen said: "I was very, very disappointed for the players because they put in an absolutely huge effort.

"What a comeback it was, every one of them showed that spirit and ability to comeback, that's the spirit we want. We had enough chances to win five games, I am so disappointed and gutted for the boys."

Although obviously feeling a great sense of injustice, Paatelainen would agree Morton played their part in what was a pulsating 120 minutes, Davie Irons' players showing their own courage having seen a two-goal lead disappear.

He said: "We knew it was going to be tough because they are physically a big, strong side. At set-pieces we were up against it, we missed Rob Jones."

What Hibs also missed was a physical presence of their own in the middle of the park where Morton used their height, power and strengthen to muscle opponents off the ball on too many occasions.

The return of French star Steven Thicot should help redress that problem but Hibs badly need someone in the mould of Paatelainen's old team-mate, Mathias Jack, someone who can impose himself on the opposition, win the ball and give it to those who can make best use of it.