Ross: Cheating isn't foreign to Scots

THE ONLY thing in common between John Hughes and Jade Goody is they've both held former St Johnstone star Keigan Parker by the short and curlies.

Big Yogi did it as a no-nonsense centre-half at Celtic and Hibs when the Blackpool striker was making the breakthrough at McDiarmid Park.

The fragrant Ms Goody did it . . . well, let's make our excuses and leave that particularly memorable kiss and tell in the back issues of the more racy Sunday tabloids.

However, the Falkirk boss came dangerously close to straying into Celebrity Big Brother territory at the weekend when he condemned the antics of Hearts striker Andrius Velicka in deliberately getting Bairns defender Darren Barr sent off.

There was more than a hint of them and us and a nod to the superiority of Scottish sportsmanship in his post-match address as he railed against the Lithuanian striker for going down easier than . . . well, you get the picture.

Velicka's actions were despicable and deserving of the same public rebuke from Hearts boss Valdas Ivanauskas as was dished out by Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce last month when he chastised his striker Bernardo Corradi for diving at Old Trafford.

Barr, incensed by a late tackle from Velicka near the end, leapt to his feet to protest, his chest expanded, only for the Jambos frontman to collapse and con referee Steve Conroy into believing that he had been decked by a butt.

In actual fact, there was a foot of fresh air between the players and although a wicked wind swirled around Tynecastle it was hardly enough to blow the 14st striker off his feet.

Hughes, his post-match passion matched by his team for much of the 90 minutes previously, immediately announced an appeal would be made to have the red card rescinded and if there is any sense at the SFA -admittedly, difficult to find at the moment - it will succeed.

He said: "The referee was conned and fell for it and I feel an injustice, especially as it happened to a young, up-and-coming Scottish laddie, has been done.

"I expect better from a professional. Even the Scottish boys in the Hearts team were laughing coming off the pitch."

The Falkirk boss ended his chat with the press with a plea. He said: "You've all been in football a number of years and all know what the Scottish game is like. It's as honest as the day is long. Write it the way you see it."

Okay Yogi, but correct as you were to highlight Velicka's cheating - and Gary Mackay's ears must also still be ringing following that after-match pop at him on the touchline - it's not as clean as we would always like to think.

The issue of cheating in the SPL is not restricted to foreign players either, as a quick glance at a few of Falkirk's recent matches will highlight.

Two days before Christmas, the Bairns played at Celtic Park and Neil Lennon was sent off after a bust-up with Anthony Stokes. The accusation? The Hoops skipper had dived to win a penalty.

A month earlier, Falkirk's 4-2 defeat at Motherwell was overshadowed by the dismissal of Stokes for two yellow cards. The second caution crime? Diving.

The week before, Falkirk went down to a 2-1 defeat at 10-man Kilmarnock. The reason for the dismissal of Killie striker Colin Nish? Diving.

Bairns skipper Jack Ross joined the condemnation of Velicka, an exciting talent who really has enough positives in his game without drawing attention to the negatives.

However, he refused to see it along national lines after admitting he has also been caught up in the con game as recently as this month.

Ross said: "It's too general to say it's a foreigner issue. There was an incident at Berwick recently when I was hit by a stray elbow and probably went down a bit easier than I should have and I'm not that type of player at all.

"Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, you react in the wrong way and get involved in things you shouldn't.

"There was an indication of what was to come from Velicka earlier when he went down after Russell Latapy, who is not the biggest in our team and certainly one of the least aggressive, bumped into him in the middle of the park.

"I was on the bench at the time of Darren's sending off and it looked harsh.

"All the guys close to the incident didn't think there was any contact and when you hear so many players saying that you've got to believe it.

"It was a clumsy tackle from Velicka and that's why Darren reacted but you better ask the Hearts player why he responded the way he did - he obviously felt there was enough to make him go down.

"Sometimes you make more of incidents than they really deserve and when you reflect later you think you shouldn't have done it.

"Darren is a helluva nice lad and it's not in his nature to be overly aggressive or do anything untoward on the park - all he did was jump up and react to the tackle.

"That is what you do in a passionate game such as football but I think Darren has learned for the future just to stay down or walk away.

"He's pretty disappointed at what has happened but he'll react differently next time."

The scoreline was as much an injustice as Barr's dismissal. Falkirk deserved at least a point, particularly for their second-half performance when they outplayed Hearts in abysmal conditions.

At times, following Hearts is like driving down the Big Sur on the Californian coast, minus the scenery - a journey of twists and turns and Highway One all the way.

Vladimir Romanov promised a beautiful brand of football from the Tynecastle club this season that would upstage the uncouth approach of the Old Firm and when statements like that are recalled you get to thinking it's no bad thing he's currently on a vow of silence.

Nevertheless, there is a dogged determination to the Jambos, now in third place in the SPL, which is admirable and it was summed up best in the performance of Neil McCann, who has plenty of guile to his game but is always prepared to graft for his team.

Each side hit the post twice, once in each half, but if Vitor Lima's header had found the net instead of bouncing off the inside of the woodwork midway through the second period when Falkirk were dominant, they would surely have gone on to win.

As it was, it was Hearts who scored the clincher shortly afterwards as Ibrahim Tall robbed Alan Gow of possession and fed it out wide to Andrew Driver. His low cross was swept home from eight yards by Roman Bednar.

Ross said: "There are a lot of disappointed boys in the dressing room because there wasn't a lot in the game over the piece.

"We deserved at least a draw but we need to win at places such as Tynecastle if we are to get where we want to go in the SPL."

MAN OF THE MATCH

Patrick Cregg (Falkirk)

MATCH STATS

POSSESSION

53% 47%

SHOTS ON TARGET

5 3

SHOTS OFF TARGET

7 5

CORNERS

1 4

FOULS CONCEDED

11 13

OFFSIDES

1 6

HEARTS

MAN BY MAN

Steve Banks: Little to do although post came to his rescue twice. 6

Christos Karipidis: Too conservative, offering little going forward. 5

Marius Zaliukas: Rare off day for bright prospect. Hooked just after the hour. 4

Christophe Berra: Never under great pressure despite Latapy's best efforts. 6

Takis Fyssas: The spring of last season has gone but still a willing worker. 6

Bruno Aguiar: Another who had off day as game passed him by. 5

Paul Hartley: Too often forced to forage for second balls. 6

Neil McCann: The legs may not be as speedy as they used to be but heart's as big as ever. 7

Saulius Mikoliunas: Never offered enough penetrating width to cause problems. 5

Jamie Mole: Didn't get best of service in attack. 5

Andrius Velicka: You're better than those antics late on, big man. 5

Subs: Ibrahim Tall - robbed Gow for vital assist on winner, 5. Andrew Driver - added more industry and energy wide right, 5. Roman Bednar - one chance, one goal, one heck of a return, 6.

FALKIRK

MAN BY MAN

Kasper Schmeichel: Strong, confident and commanding. Any famous relatives? 6

Jack Ross: Defensively solid and decent distribution through midfield. 6

Karl Dodd: Was settling into a decent shift before being carried off concussed. 3

Cedric Uras: Bossed centre of defence well and set-piece danger too. 6

Darren Barr: Wrong to react and spoil fine display but Velicka was out of order. 6

Thomas Scobbie: Sound shift on left and threw over some decent deliveries. 6

Patrick Cregg: Polyfilla Patrick covered every gap in his team. Outstanding. 8

Vitor Lima: Some decent touches but not on the ball enough. 5

Liam Craig: Tried in vain to exert influence in the final third down left. 5

Alan Gow: Isolated on left without natural finisher to feed off around box. 5

Russell Latapy: More influential once game opened up. 5

Subs: Dean Holden - physical strength made him decent replacement for Dodd, 6. Tam McManus - looked lively but only got 10 minutes, 2. John Stewart - likewise, 2.

MOMENT THAT CHANGED THE GAME:

Bednar's strike was always going to be crucial in a game of next goal's the winner.

Taken from the Daily Record