Angry Hibs to appeal against Shiels' derby red card for violent conduct

HIBS are to appeal against Dean Shiels' red card for felling Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon during Tuesday's explosive Edinburgh derby.

The Easter Road board has given manager John Collins the green light to try to clear the Northern Ireland internationalist's name after examining footage of the incident in the 3-2 defeat.
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Shiels was given his marching orders - only seconds after converting a penalty kick - for clattering into Gordon with his arms raised. Hibs claim the assistant referee, Willie Dishington, said Shiels punched the Scotland goalkeeper.

The midfielder denies using his fists and television evidence appears to back his claim, but it will be up to the Scottish Football Association's review panel to decide if the 21 year-old's actions constituted violent conduct, as referee Mike McCurry adjudged on the day.

A Hibs spokesman confirmed yesterday: "We intend to appeal."

The Easter Road club are now in the process of identifying footage to back up their claim. Teams have three days after a match to lodge an appeal and once it has been submitted any sanction against the player are set to one side until the appeal is heard.

Collins is adamant the collision with Gordon was not a sending-off offence.

He said: "Dean has run in to do one thing and one thing only - that is to try and get the ball. The goalkeeper has stepped slightly in his way and Dean has put his hands up to protect himself.

"It was a booking but, in my opinion, not a red card in one hundred years.

"Anyone who has played at a high level would realise that, when you score a penalty you want to get the ball back, that's what people want to come and see, football being played."

It is possible an appeal committee will be unable to convene before Hibs' clash with Dunfermline on Saturday, meaning but Shiels would be available to play against the Fife club.

Drew Herbertson, the Scottish Football Association's head of discipline, said yesterday: "We try to dispose of claims ahead of a club's next match but that is not always possible. It might be that the appeal arrives tomorrow and is dealt with on Friday. Once the claim is lodged the sanctions are set aside."

If the club are unsuccessful in their bid to have Shiels' red card overturned, the winger would also face a further ban for going over the 18-point disciplinary threshold.

Twelve points are added to a player's record for a violent conduct charge and, with Shiels already on six, he would pick up a further one-match ban on top of the automatic one game suspension for the red card.

Roman Bednar, the Hearts striker, believes McCurry was correct to send off Shiels.

"At 2-2 it all went a bit crazy with Shiels," said the Czech Republic internationalist. "It was a sending-off. You cannot do that. He didn't punch him but he did push him."

Bednar set up Paul Hartley for the opener within the opening two minutes, before Edgaras Jankauskas doubled the advantage shortly after the break.

Hibs fought their way back to level terms through New Zealand striker Chris Killen and Shiels' penalty but Hearts took advantage of the extra man and won the game through a wonderful Saulius Mikoliunas strike.

Bednar is now hoping their poor run of form is behind them following back-to-back victories over Dundee United and Hibs.

"Every derby is crazy and this one was crazy," he said. "It's a special game. It was a great win here and also at Dundee United. It's fantastic and we just have to keep it going now."

Bednar has been out of action since October with an Achilles injury and was thrilled to be named in Valdas Ivanauskas' starting line-up yesterday.

He said: "This is my first game and I was surprised to be in the first XI after injury. But I think I was ready and it's fantastic to be back."

Meanwhile, Hibs midfielder Michael Stewart is set to miss the 13 January encounter against Kilmarnock after picking up his sixth yellow card of the season in the defeat to Hearts.

The Tynecastle side also learned of an imminent suspension yesterday when it emerged that midfielder Bruno Aguiar looks likely to sit out next month's SPL home clash against leaders Celtic.

The 25-year-old Portuguese was booked for the sixth time in the league in Saturday's 1-0 victory at Dundee United.

The SFA is still to confirm the nature of the caution but if it was for an expected three points, Aguiar will have reached the 18-point disciplinary threshold.

Aguiar would then incur a one-match ban and watch from the sidelines when Celtic visit Tynecastle for the televised meeting on Sunday 14 January.

Taken from the Scotsman