'I don't like the way people behave' - Ayr boss Mark Kerr on Hearts penalty decision

Ayr United boss Mark Kerr was unhappy with the penalty decision given the way of Hearts.
Mark Kerr was unhappy with the penalty decision. Picture: SNSMark Kerr was unhappy with the penalty decision. Picture: SNS
Mark Kerr was unhappy with the penalty decision. Picture: SNS

The Honest Men lost 1-0 at Somerset Park to the Championship leaders.

Liam Boyce’s disputed penalty won three points for the visitors, opening up a 12-point lead at the top of the table.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Steven McLean awarded Hearts a second-half spot kick after Andy Halliday's cross hit Jack Baird’s hand via a deflection off his own leg.

The visitors felt they should have had a penalty early in the first-half when Boyce was bundled over in the box.

Kerr felt the decision for the second incident was incorrect and accused people on the sidelines of trying to “influence referees”.

“I thought we started the game really well,” he told the BBC. “I don’t think we had any problems first half at all, we got into their half and kept them there for a period of time. We put a lot of balls in the box.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“[I’m] just really disappointed in the end with the penalty. I've had a quick look at it, I see it back, it’s never a penalty which I can take but I just don't like the way people behave on the sidelines trying to influence referees and slag referees, slag linesman. And then they get a reward from a penalty.

"It’s not a penalty and it’s really hard to take because there is not much in the game at all.

“It's not right the way people were behaving to maybe influence. Whether it is not being influenced, Steven’s [McLean] got a decision to make. For me, it’s not football, it’s not a proper way to behave.”

Read More
How the Hearts players rated after battling 1-0 win over Ayr United

A message from the Editor: Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers. If you haven't already, please consider supporting our sports coverage with a digital sports subscription.

Related topics: