Hughes happy with brave officials

The relegation-threatened Bairns won an incident-packed game to reach the quarter-finals following their first victory at the ground since April 1995.Steve Lovell's 59th-minute strike proved the difference in a frenetic second half, despite the striker appearing to be just offside as he nodded past Janos Balogh.Moments later, referee Dougie McDonald awarded Hearts a penalty for Dean Holden's challenge on Andrew Driver, before changing his mind and giving a corner on the advice of far-side assistant Chris Young.Further drama followed when Marius Zaliukas was handed a straight red card - his third of the season and Hearts' eighth - for appearing to kick and punch substitute Carl Finnigan following a tussle.Both teams were then left with 10 men when Falkirk's Scott Arfield picked up a second yellow in injury-time.The visitors also had a case for a second goal after Michael Higdon appeared onside when he netted, shortly after the winning goal.Hughes was simply relieved to have come out on top to end a barren run at Tynecastle, a week after ending a winless drought against Aberdeen in the SPL.He said: "I think Dougie gave the penalty and it was the linesman who said it was a perfectly good tackle."I've seen it on television and it was a great tackle by Dean Holden. I'm delighted something like that has gone our way."Last year, it worked the other way against us against Hibs. I think Holden again made the tackle, the referee said it was a fair tackle and it was the linesman who gave the penalty."I'm delighted the linesman was strong enough to call it and TV shows he got it perfectly right. They are a three-man team, aren't they? They took stock. We didn't want punished like that, so it was good."We're not getting carried away. It's a great result to get into the latter stages of the cup, but if anybody said swap it for three or six points, I'll bite your hand off. It was a good day for us, though."Hughes had special words of praise for impressive goalkeeper Dani Mallo after the Spaniard, recently signed from Sporting Braga, pulled off a string of saves despite not training for most of the week.Steven Pressley and Neil McCann, back at their former club, were also singled out.Hughes said: "Dani looks like he is going to be a good find and I'm pleased for him."I'm also delighted for the two ex-Hearts boys, big Elvis and Neil coming back to their old stomping ground and getting the win. It gives them the bragging rights."It was a good cup tie, hard-fought, a typical Scottish game with plenty incidents in it and I'm just glad that we came out on top."I'm honest enough to say Hearts were possibly the best team in the first half and had the best chances of the game."But I think the introduction of Finnigan swayed the game our way. I'm delighted for the boys, the spirit amongst them is fantastic and I'm glad we got the rewards."Hearts fans directed their anger at the officials at the end, with manager Csaba Laszlo downbeat and subdued.Laszlo played Eggert Jonsson in a makeshift striking role after Christian Nade (knee) failed a late fitness test and his team's failure to convert numerous chances ultimately proved their downfall.Of the decisions, the Romanian-born Hungarian chose his words carefully and was clearly choosing to keep some thoughts private.But his main gripe was with the goal, which he definitely felt was offside.Laszlo said: "In this interview, I will tell you what I think but I don't want to lose my licence."For me, if it wasn't any clearer, you wouldn't have offsides."I've seen the pictures and it's clear we don't have offsides anymore."It wasn't just the penalty decision, but the goal. I never spoke to the referee after the game."Laszlo also took a swipe at Falkirk's style and added: "The key point was definitely the bad, unlucky decision which led to the goal."Up until that, they didn't have any chances from the game. No shots on goal, they just tried to destroy the game."

Source: Team_Talk