Frustrated Hearts query key Aberdeen goal as Liam Fox lifts lid on John Beaton chat
Jambos feel ball was rolling for Devlin’s leveller at Pittodrie
Hearts caretaker manager Liam Fox cut a disappointed and “frustrated” figure after his team’s winless run continued with a 3-2 defeat by Aberdeen.
Dons substitute Ante Palaversa netted on 88 minutes to settle a pulsating match at Pittodrie, which the visitors briefly led. Aberdeen went ahead on two minutes through Topi Keskinen’s deflected effort, only for Hearts to level before the break through Frankie Kent. Blair Spittal fired the Jambos ahead on 62 minutes, but Nicky Devlin equalised two minutes later. Hearts were reduced to ten men when Jorge Grant was sent off for a second booking on 75 minutes and the Dons chased a winner, landing it with minutes to go.
Hearts performed well in defeat with arguably their best display of the season, but were left to rue some poor finishing. Fox was also irked by Grant’s first yellow card, which was awarded after he and teammates claimed the ball was still moving from a quickly-taken free-kick that led to Devlin’s goal.
“I feel disappointed, I feel frustrated,” said Fox. “I thought for large spells of the game the players were really, really good. Even more so off the back of what's been a really, really difficult, challenging week. Not only with Steven [Naismith] and his staff leaving, but the travel that we've had.
“I'm actually really disappointed for the players to be honest because I thought we were good for at least a point. The number of chances we created, the way we moved the ball, how we were without the ball with our energy. Overriding feeling is just a huge disappointment for the players.
“We created loads of chances, some really good chances. That happens in football. On another day you'd hopefully take them and the outcome is different. The red card definitely changes the flow of the game.
“The other thing that's worth mentioning is that the second goal, the ball's actually still moving from a free kick. They go up the park score. Jorge Grant is then booked for dissent because he's complaining about the ball moving and then he gets sent off on a challenge. So, yes, there's frustration there, there's disappointment. It's a sore one to take.”
Asked if he had spoken to referee John Beaton about the ball rolling, Fox replied: “I've spoken to John [Beaton] very quickly. He just said that decision was on him.”
Fox continued on Grant: “First and foremost, Jorge Grant's put his hands up and he feels he's let the team down. There's no doubt that sending off changes the flow of the game, it changes the momentum. That's football. We work in a world of really, really small margins and I just thought those couple of things went against us today.”
Hearts are expected to have a new head coach in for their next match against St Mirren on October 19, although Fox is unsure of how the next few days will pan out. "I've no idea until somebody from the club tells me differently but until such times that is, I'll be back to work tomorrow,” added Fox. “We've also got the international break now which will probably allow the club a wee bit of time to go through the process which I'm sure they're already going through.
“It's been a privilege and an honour for me to do this role and even in the short term, I'm just disappointed that we didn't take something from today. We've got Ross Matthews' friendly on Wednesday night so we'll be back in, we'll be off tomorrow for a couple of days and then we'll see where we are come the rest of the week.”
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