Hearts manager Craig Levein admitted he was embarrassed by their 5-0 defeat by Livingston after making their hosts “look like Paris St Germain”.
Levein gave credit to Livingston but admitted his team capitulated after Arnaud Djoum’s red card, which came two minutes after Craig Halkett opened the scoring from a 72nd-minute penalty, gifted to the visitors when Zdenek Zlamal raced off his line to accidentally punch the Livi player in the head.
Dolly Menga scored a memorable solo goal and Ryan Hardie netted a double as Livi scored four times in seven minutes, and Shaun Byrne added a fifth.
When asked for his description of proceedings, Levein said: “Horrible. Embarrassing. I just didn’t see it coming. OK, we had some things go against us in a short time frame, starting with Clevid (Dikamona) having to go off. We’ve got injuries at centre half without that happening.
“The second half, we started reasonably well. I felt we were better than the first half. Then we’ve had a mad spell around the first goal when Bobby (Zlamal) has spent far too long making his mind up whether to come for the ball, and paid the penalty.
“We lose Arnaud, I thought it was harsh, but it wasn’t what led to us losing five goals. That was down to us capitulating. We made them look like Paris St Germain at times.
“Some people went in their shell and started looking after themselves. It’s embarrassing, it really is. I have to give credit to Livingston but my main concern is making sure that, for our supporters in particular, that doesn’t happen again. Because that just wasn’t acceptable.”
Livingston manager Gary Holt hailed his side for their clinical approach.
“They keep producing the intensity, it makes a great threat,” he said. “Young Scotty Pittman can run all day.
“They kept going, kept creating chances. When Hearts went down to 10, we didn’t panic, played with composure, created chances.”
Holt admitted he had been baying for Menga to shoot before he slotted home after shimmying his way past three defenders.
“It’s probably entertaining to look at, but I was shouting to shoot about eight times before he’s actually shot,” Holt said.
“That’s Dolly, his composure, he can make a fool of you but make a fool of himself at times.
“He’s a jack in the box, you have got to nurture him, be patient, be aware that he will give the ball away, he will over-complicate things.
“But when he does that bit of skill in the box, who is to say ‘stop it’?”
