Garcia-Tena escapes with warning after seeing red

Hamilton player/boss Martin Canning has let defender Jesus Garcia Tena off with a warning despite criticising his red card against Hearts.

Spaniard Tena was dismissed three minutes from the end of Sunday's 0-0 stalemate with the Jambos after scything down Arnaud Djoum.

The visitors to New Douglas Park had themselves been reduced to 10 men just before half-time after Igor Rossi's two-footed lunge on Darren Lyon forced referee Bobby Madden to issue his first sending-off.

That tackle sparked a melee as members of the home team rushed to confront Rossi, while Canning admitted he had to hook Darian MacKinnon at the break before he was sent off.

But the Hamilton manager was unhappy Tena failed to grasp the volatile nature of the match when he dived in on his Gorgie opponent.

Canning said: "I've looked at the tape again and in a different game, in different circumstances he might have got away with it.

"His foot hits the ball and rolls over the top of it. If the ball had moved forward I think he'd have probably got just a booking.

"But in that game, in that environment and that moment, I think it was the right decision from the referee.

"For someone of Zeus' experience I don't think he has to make the tackle, especially the way the game had been going. An experienced player like him should have stayed on his feet and not given the officials a decision to make.''

However, Canning insists he will not be reprimanding Tena despite putting Sunday's result at risk with his recklessness.

"I don't have to punish him for it,'' he explained. "It was an honest attempt to win the ball and be physical, which is what I want from my players. But he should know that given the circumstances of the game, he doesn't have to go and make that challenge.

"It's about being as aggressive as you can without overstepping the mark.''

The Hearts draw was a welcome boost for a side who shipped eight goals to Premiership leaders Celtic in their previous match.

If there is one side who can empathise with Accies' Parkhead humiliation, it is Saturday's Kilmarnock after suffering their own nightmare against Dundee United last weekend after being thumped 5-1.

Hamilton now sit just a point above Killie in the relegation play-off zone but Canning expects to see Gary Locke's men hit back at Rugby Park.

He said: "We've restored a wee bit of pride. We conceded eight against Celtic then none against Hearts, so it's been a strange week.

"Obviously the Celtic match wasn't acceptable but we know we can defend better and Sunday goes to show that. Now we must make sure we do that again against Kilmarnock in order to give ourselves a platform to go on and win the game.

"Both teams will be saying the other side is mentally fragile and can be got at. We came out fighting against Hearts and I'm sure Killie will do that as well after last week's defeat. We will need to be on guard for that.''