Source: Team_Talk
McInnes laments penalty award
St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes held referee Mike Tumilty responsible for his team's 2-0 home loss to Hearts in the SPL on Saturday.[LNB] The visitors broke the deadlock at McDiarmid Park with a disputed penalty when Jamie Adams was adjudged to have handled a David Templeton free-kick inside the area.[LNB]Kevin Kyle made no mistake from the spot but the home team were angered at the award with no obvious intent from Adams.[LNB]McInnes said: "We have not beaten ourselves today and we have not been beaten by anything Hearts have done, but by a referee's decision.[LNB]"It was a key decision and it has cost us today because it was the wrong decision and we are frustrated by that.[LNB]"It's a mistake by the referee. Jamie Adams is at the end of the defensive wall and there's nothing he can do about it. His hands were by his side."[LNB]Hearts manager Jim Jefferies felt his team deserved the victory despite the controversy over the opening goal added to in injury time by Ryan Stevenson.[LNB]After winning last weekend's Edinburgh derby and surprising Celtic in midweek, Jefferies was worried this more low-key affair could break that momentum.[LNB]He said: "I said to the players before the game that this was a day we had to get our heads right.[LNB]"The last two games were played in big atmospheres and that was missing today, but the players showed a fantastic spirit.[LNB]"I do feel sorry for St Johnstone because we got a break with the penalty, but I still felt we had more of the chances in the game and worked their goalkeeper harder."[LNB]Hearts were the more enterprising side early on and Stephen Elliott should have done better with an angled drive blazed over the crossbar with an unmarked Kyle wanting a pass in the middle.[LNB]St Johnstone were presented with a real chance in the 28th minute when Michael Duberry's ball was only half-cleared by Ruben Palazuelos with his goalkeeper Marian Kello drawn out of position behind him, but Liam Craig volleyed wide of the empty net.[LNB]Hearts almost doubled their lead four minutes after Kyle's disputed penalty when Rudi Skacel set up Elliott for a fierce strike which was pushed wide by Saints goalkeeper Peter Enckelman and Kyle headed another late chance wide before Stevenson sealed it.
