AS HEARTS manager, Craig Levein once thumped a wall so hard out of frustration at Fir Park he damaged his hand. Yesterday, the Dundee United manager might have had to restrain himself from damaging the face of referee Ian Brines with a clenched fist.
Such naked rage would have been murderous to contain following the rejection of a penalty appeal that wasn't just the point around which an engrossing encounter entirely turned, but may prove pivotal in United and Motherwell's pursuit of Europa League-earning fourth place in the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League.
With the scores tied at 1-1 and the visitors cranking up the pressure as the encounter entered the final 14 minutes, Craig Swanson weaved his way into the area before being unceremoniously barged to the ground by bruiser Maros Klimpl. Everyone in the stadium except Brines thought it was a penalty. But, as the official shooed away apoplectic United players, the ball was quickly worked up to the other end and within seconds was nestling in the back of the visitors' net for Motherwell's winner.
Admittedly, it wasn't Brines who failed to challenge properly for a ball knocked into the air after Jim O'Brien had whipped in a cross. Whoever should have been challenging Motherwell substitute David Clarkson failed in their duties, with the striker allowed to get his head on it and send it arcing over the helpless Lukasz Zaluska.
Understandably, Levein restricted himself to being livid over the first phase of a dastardly double-whammy. "We dominated for long spells and weren't undone by anything we did," he seethed. "If it (Klimpl's challenge] is not a penalty, it's an indirect free-kick. Stephen Craigan said after the game it was a penalty. That's the opposition's captain. I said that to the referee, but there is nothing you can do about it. We have to use the frustration for the next time."
A huge victory for Mark McGhee's side sees them now only three points behind fifth-place United. Three months ago, Levein's side looked a fair bet for third while there seemed little hope of the Fir Park side finishing better than eighth. Now McGhee's men, who have lost only one of their past 11 games, could easily overtake United.
Clarkson would tend to be considered a certain starter, but his match-winning contribution came after he replaced Cillian Sheridan with 20 minutes remaining. "He's been a dog for us and probably put in more miles than other player. He was beginning to look puffed out," said McGhee of his striker's supersub status. "I sent him to Spain last week and put him on the bench and may use him that way in the coming games."
Pounding the Fir Park sands would tire anyone out. It may be a well-worn theme, but it impossible to visit the ground and not be left in disbelief at the horrendous nick of the pitch. It is like Michael Jackson's face. No matter how many times you see it close up, it retains an amazing power to shock.
Both Motherwell and United deserve credit for the number of times they found team-mates and coped with the untrue bounce from a surface that requires even more extensive surgery than the king of pop's coupon.
Yet a cutting edge was missing until Jim O'Brien twisted into space on the left in the 27th minute and floated the ball across the six-yard box to allow Sutton, stretching like a contortionist, to apply the merest touch and put his team ahead. Sutton, in the middle of goal, wasn't crowded out as he might have been and it was surely no coincidence that Gary Kenneth was off the field receiving stitches on a head wound. Levein admitted that had been a "difficult" call.
The strike was sandwiched between two Sheridan opportunities. Zaluska thwarted the on-loan Celtic striker after he rattled in a 20-yard effort. Then the pitch did for the Irishman. Chipping the Polish keeper, he kicked up a dusty divot that held up the ball as it rolled towards the net, allowing Kenneth to bound back and hook the ball away.
In an effort to have the ball sticking upfield for them, Levein sent on Francisco Sandaza and Swanson for John Daly and Prince Buaben respectively. The changes had the desired effect. United pinned their opponents back before piercing them after Caddis fired a corner low into the danger area and Graeme Smith was bumped by Lee Wilkie as he attempted to claim it. A melee ensued and, in the middle of it, Sandaza knocked the equaliser in.
If Smith didn't appear particular clever at the equaliser, he looked like genius minutes later when he fully extended himself to tip away a Swanson smacker. The sort of save McGhee said was both precisely why the "great keeper" was attracting interest for Hibernian and why he hoped he stayed.
The hope for Levein, meanwhile, was that he kept his head, never mind his hands, from connecting with walls last night.
