Gary Mackay: Hearts boss unhappy with point – that's attitude we need

I'D HAVE been delighted to have left Ibrox with a point before the game on Saturday, but the huge disappointment for everyone is that victory was taken away from us so late in the match.

I was listening to Csaba Laszlo being interviewed after the game on Saturday and it was interesting to hear his response when it was put to him that he must be satisfied to have come away from Ibrox with a point. The manager said he wasn't happy with a point because we were leading going into stoppage time and that's a mentality I admire. It was interesting to hear because that's the type of attitude and mentality Alex Ferguson and Jim McLean used to instil in their players at Aberdeen and Dundee United when they went to play the Old Firm. They went to Glasgow without any fear and set out to win those games and I think that's how Hearts are under the current manager. I could fully understand his frustration at full-time as he clearly felt the three points had just been stolen from him so late in the match. It's definitely a good thing that that's the way the manager feels after a game like that.

People go on about the fact we don't score enough goals, but the one thing you can be sure of when you watch Hearts – and I don't want to tempt fate ahead of the Aberdeen game on Wednesday – is that we're not going to lose a lot of goals. At times in the past, when we've gone to Ibrox or Parkhead, you usually find you have to weather sustained periods of pressure but, on Saturday, I always felt our defence was completely in control. The defensive unit, ably helped by a good display from the midfield, was excellent. It was a real team effort and I think that's been the most important aspect of Hearts' recent performances.

It was great for young Scott Robinson to get his goal, but obviously the disappointing aspect was that it didn't turn out to be Hearts' first winning goal at Ibrox since Joe Hamill scored in 2004. It was an instinctive finish and he deserved that for his overall contribution – his work ethic is second to none. His celebration, when he ran towards the Hearts fans, was brilliant and there's not many people with a genuine affinity to the club who get to kiss the badge after a goal. Scott was excellent but I could have said that about so many players on Saturday. The team ethic was what the manager instilled last year and he's getting a return from everybody at the moment.

Jason Thomson also merits a mention for his performance. He did very well against Steven Whittaker, who's arguably been Rangers' most consistent player over the past few games.

One man I'm not quite so happy with, however, is Christian Nade. Our disciplinary record is really poor but we invite the powers-that-be to punish us when we act as Christian did on Saturday. He got what I thought was a very soft first booking, and then he got himself caught offside – everybody in the stadium could see he was offside. To then petulantly kick the ball into the stand, for someone who is not a young player, is just crazy. It just allows people to punish the club and dredge up our poor disciplinary record.

When you go to Ibrox you must have complete discipline from first minute to last. The manager showed it and all the players showed it except Christian. He'll now be suspended for the Aberdeen game, and that creates a problem in attack. It's the one area in the team where we're particularly short of options and because of one act of stupidity, the manager's task has been made that bit harder. With Ruben Palazuelos back from suspension I'd maybe be tempted to put him in at left midfield and move David Obua, who hasn't done great on the left, into an attacking role. He could maybe be a foil for Robinson and we might be able to get a bit more out of him up there where he can use his aerial ability. The games are coming thick and fast now with three midweek games in a row coming up starting with a really big game on Wednesday against the Dons. Between now and 13 February is a massive spell for Hearts. They always go on about Easter being a crucial period down in England but I think the results between now and mid-February will give us a real idea of whether we have a chance of going on to end the season on a positive note. If we can continue to take 15 points out of every seven games, as we have done over the past seven games, then we'll enjoy a positive end to the season.

We have to hope that we've had our bad spell and that we can keep this good run of form going because the likes of Hibs, Dundee United, Motherwell and Aberdeen are all going well just now.

Pitch unfit Fir a semi-final

I WATCHED the Motherwell against St Mirren game on television and I thought the pitch at Fir Park looked shocking.

That could act as a huge leveller for our semi-final against the Buddies through there next week. I was never convinced Fir Park was the right venue for the semi-final anyway and, after seeing the pitch, I'm certainly not now.

The only consolation is that it will be the same for both sides.